The Project Gutenberg EBook of Marcy The Blockade Runner, by Harry Castlemon

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Title: Marcy The Blockade Runner

Author: Harry Castlemon

Illustrator: George G. White

Release Date: July 12, 2009 [EBook #29387]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARCY THE BLOCKADE RUNNER ***

Produced by Gary Sandino, from scans generously provided by the Internet Archive.

[Frontispiece: MARCY AND THE OVERSEER.]

CASTLEMON'S WAR SERIES.

MARCY

THE

BLOCKADE-RUNNER

BY

HARRY CASTLEMON,

AUTHOR OF "GUNBOAT SERIES," "ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES,"

"SPORTSMAN'S CLUB SERIES," ETC., ETC.

Four Illustrations by Geo. G. White.

PHILADELPHIA:

PORTER & COATES.

Copyright, 1891,

BY

PORTER & COATES.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

I. MARCY HAS A VISITOR, 1

II. HIDING THE FLAGS, 26

III. BEARDSLEY BETRAYS HIMSELF, 52

IV. TWO NARROW ESCAPES, 77

V. A CAT WITHOUT CLAWS, 105

VI. RUNNING THE BLOCKADE, 125

VII. THE mate's LUCKY SHOT, 150

VIII. A NOISE AT THE WINDOW, 174

IX. THE "SUMTER" LOSES A PRIZE, 197

X. A COOL PROPOSITION, 219

XI. THE BANNER ON THE WALL, 241

XII. CONFLICTING REPORTS, 268

XIII. UNION OR CONFEDERATE—WHICH? 292

XIV. JULIUS IN TROUBLE, 317

XV. THE ENCHANTED LOOKING-GLASS, 339

XVI. OFF FOR THE FLEET, 362

XVII. AN UNEXPECTED MEETING, 381

XVIII. CONCLUSION, 403

MARCY, THE BLOCKADE-RUNNER,

CHAPTER I.

MARCY HAS A VISITOR.

The boys who have read the first volume of this series of books, in which we followed the fortunes of our Union hero, Marcy Gray, and described the persevering but unsuccessful efforts he made to be true to his colors in deed as well as in spirit, will remember that we left him at his home near Nashville, North Carolina, enjoying a brief respite from the work he so heartily detested, that of privateering. He had made one voyage in the Osprey under Captain Beardsley, during which he assisted in capturing the schooner Mary Hollins, bound from Havana to Boston with an assorted cargo. When the prize was brought into the port of Newbern the whole town went wild with excitement, Captain Beardsley's agent being so highly elated that he urged the master of the Osprey to run out at once and try his luck again, before the capture of the Hollins became known at the North. But Beardsley, who was afraid to trust landsharks any farther than he could see them, declared with a good deal of earnestness that he would not budge an inch until the legality of the capture had been settled by the courts, the vessel and cargo sold, and the dollars that belonged to him and his crew were planked down in their two hands. Knowing that it would take time to go through all these formalities, Marcy Gray asked for a leave of absence, which Beardsley granted according to promise, and in less than half an hour after the Osprey was hauled alongside the wharf, her disgusted young pilot, wishing from the bottom of his heart that she might sink out of sight before he ever saw her again, left her and went home as fast as the cars could take him. When we last saw him he had reached his mother's house, and was reading a letter from his cousin, Rodney the Partisan a portion of which we gave to the reader at the close of the first volume of this series.

"Rodney is full of enthusiasm, isn't he?" exclaimed Marcy, when he had finished reading the letter. "He says he looks for 'high old times' running the Yankees out of Missouri, but I am afraid he'll not enjoy them as much as he thinks he will. Perhaps the Yankees are not good runners. But Rodney has been true to his colors and I have not. I said I never would fight against the Union, but I have stood by and seen a gun fired at the old flag; and I have no doubt that the skipper of the Hollins when he saw me aboard the privateer, took me for as good a rebel as there was in the crew. Perhaps he will see his mistake some day. I shall have to accept my share of the prize money, for if I don't Beardsley's suspicions will be aroused; but I'll put it away and send it to the master of the Hollins the first good chance I get. Has Wat Gifford been here since I went to sea? You know he warned me of two secret enemies I would have to look out for, and hinted that he would some day tell me who the rest are." ["But I think I know already," added Marcy mentally.] While he was at sea he had had ample leisure to think over the situation, and had made up his mind that he knew right where the most serious danger that threatened him and his mother was coming from.

"Walter has been here," replied Mrs. Gray, "and I understand that he has since gone back to the army, his furlough, which was a short one, having expired. I was glad to see Walter, for it was a very great relief to visit with some one to whom I knew I could talk freely; but I must say he left a very unpleasant impression on my mind. He told me, in so many words, that we are suspected of being traitors at heart, and that there are but few of our neighbors we can trust."

"And who are they?" inquired Marcy. "When we know who our friends are, it will be no trouble for us to pick out our enemies."

"I asked Walter that very question, and after some hesitation he was obliged to confess that he could not name a single person. There are some who denounce secession in the very strongest terms, but that doesn't prove anything, for Walter has often done the same thing himself, and he is a rebel soldier," said Mrs. Gray sadly. "Only think of it, Marcy! To not one of the many who were our warm friends in times past, can we go for advice and sympathy, now that trouble is coming upon us. Is it not dreadful?"

"Who cares for advice or sympathy?" exclaimed the boy wrathfully. "We've got each other and Jack to go to when the pinch comes, and