Within The Enemys Lines | Page 7

Corny stoutly. "I will do my duty
faithfully; but I will not assist in robbing my uncle of his daughter."
"You are quite right, young man; and I would rather be sent to the fort
as a prisoner of war than take part in such an enterprise," added Captain
Carboneer, in mild but forcible tones.
"You astonish me, captain!" said Mulgate. "Why do you talk about an
outrage? I claim to be a gentleman, and to be above any such villainy as
you and Corny suggest. I do not propose to rob Captain Passford of his
daughter. What I may do depends--depends upon the consent of the
lady. If she is willing to go with me"--
"She is not willing to go with you; and she never will be willing to go
with you," Corny interposed. "I don't know what you are thinking about,
Mr. Mulgate; but Florry cares no more about you than she does about
Uncle Pedro, my father's house-servant. She saw you both at Glenfield,
and I can't tell which she likes best."
"We had better drop the subject," added Captain Carboneer.

"Drop it, then," replied Mulgate sullenly. "Get over the fence, Corny.
Nobody is using that sailboat, and we may as well take it for a while."
CHAPTER III
THE DIGNIFIED NAVAL OFFICER
Corny climbed over the high palisade fence, with the assistance of
Mulgate, and the party walked to the sailboat at the beach below. By
this time it was dark, though the gloom was not very dense under a
clear sky.
"Do you know anything about this boat, Corny?" asked Mulgate, as the
trio approached the handsome craft, for such she was beyond a doubt.
The crusty tones of the speaker indicated that he had not yet recovered
from the set-back he had plainly received in the late conversation,
though he denied that he had any evil intentions in regard to Miss
Florry.
"I do; I know all about her," replied Corny.
"Well, why don't you tell what you know?" demanded Mulgate.
"What do you wish to know about her?" inquired Corny, who was
disposed to maintain his equality in spite of the military rank of his
companion, which he had incautiously betrayed in the beginning.
"Whose boat is it?" asked Mulgate.
"She belongs to my cousin, Christy Passford."
"Where is he now?"
"I don't know, sir."
"Was he at the house when you were there?"
"He was not; and his mother had become rather anxious because he did

not return to supper," replied Corny, becoming a little more pliable.
"This is a rather large boat, Captain Carboneer," added Mulgate, as he
surveyed the trim sloop. "She is rather too large for our purpose."
"She will answer very well," replied the captain, as he applied his
shoulder to the stem of the craft to ascertain how heavily she rested
upon the beach. "Now, do you know whether there is any person on
board of that steamer?"
"Of course, I don't know anything about it," said Mulgate.
"I am sure I don't," added Corny.
"I sent you up here to ascertain all about the Bellevite," continued
Mulgate, rather sharply.
"I have not had time to find out anything," Corny explained, with some
indignation in his tones.
"Corny has done as well as he could in the time he has had to do it in,"
interposed Captain Carboneer. "I think you are inclined to stir up bad
blood with this young man, Mulgate. It appears now that you have a
purpose of your own to accomplish, and that Corny will not allow you
to carry it out."
"My first purpose is the same as your own," replied Mulgate.
"You admit that you have a second object; and I cannot tell when you
will decide to make it your principal purpose," added Captain
Carboneer. "I am not satisfied with the situation. I have done
everything I can to accomplish our patriotic object. You endanger it by
your crusty manner to this young man, who seems to be willing to do
his duty; and he is in a position to be of great service to our enterprise."
"If you think it is necessary, I will take off my cap to this young man,"
said Mulgate, with a sneer in his tones.
"Be reasonable, Mulgate."

"What can I do more than I have done?" demanded the military
gentleman, as his title indicated that he was.
"The first thing to do on your part is to renounce this idea of taking a
lady passenger with you in the steamer," replied Captain Carboneer, in
a very decided tone. "Women are not permitted on board of naval
vessels, especially in time of war."
"I don't think I have any idea to renounce," muttered Mulgate.
"You certainly hinted that you desired to take a lady on