The Blockade Runners.......................................................................................................................................1

Jules Verne ...............................................................................................................................................1

THE Clyde was the first river whose waters were lashed into foam by a steamboat. It was in 1812

when the steamer called the Comet ran between Glasgow and Greenock, at the speed of six miles an hour.

Since that time more than a million of steamers or packetboats have plied this Scotch river, and the

inhabitants of Glasgow must be as familiar as any people with the wonders of steam navigation.

However, on the 3rd of December, 1862, an immense crowd, composed of shipowners, merchants,

manufacturers, workmen, sailors, women, and children, thronged the muddy streets of Glasgow, all going in

the direction of Kelvin Dock, the large shipbuilding premises belonging to Messrs. Tod MacGregor. This last

name especially proves that the descendants of the famous Highlanders have become manufacturers, and that

Kelvin Dock is situated a few minutes' walk from the town, on the right bank of the Clyde. Soon

the immense timberyards were thronged with spectators; not a part of the quay, not a wall of the wharf, not

a factory roof showed an unoccupied place; the river itself was covered with craft of all descriptions, and the

There was, however, nothing extraordinary in the event about to take place; it was nothing but the

launching of a ship, and this was an everyday affair with the people of Glasgow. Had the Dolphin, then

for that was the name of the ship built by Messrs. Tod MacGregor some special peculiarity? To tell the

It was a large ship, about 1,500 tons, in which everything combined to obtain superior speed. Her

engines, of 500 horsepower, were from the workshops of Lancefield Forge; they worked two screws, one on

either side the sternpost, completely independent of each other. As for the depth of water the Dolphin would

draw, it must be very inconsiderable; connoisseurs were not deceived, and they concluded rightly that this

ship was destined for shallow straits. But all these particulars could not in any way justify the eagerness of

the people: taken altogether, the Dolphin was nothing more or less than an ordinary ship. Would her

launching present some mechanical difficulty to be overcome? Not any more than usual. The Clyde had

received many a ship of heavier tonnage, and the launching of the Dolphin would take place in the usual

In fact, when the water was calm, the moment the ebbtide set in, the workmen began to operate.

Their mallets kept perfect time falling on the wedges meant to raise the ship's keel: soon a shudder ran

through the whole of her massive structure; although she had only been slightly raised, one could see that she

shook, and then gradually began to glide down the well greased wedges, and in a few moments she plunged

into the Clyde. Her stern struck the muddy bed of the river, then she raised herself on the top of a gigantic

wave, and, carried forward by her start, would have been dashed against the quay of the Govan timberyards,

The launch had been perfectly successful, the Dolphin swayed quietly on the waters of the Clyde,

all the spectators clapped their hands when she took possession of her natural element, and loud hurrahs arose

But wherefore these cries and this applause? Undoubtedly the most eager of the spectators would

have been at a loss to explain the reason of his enthusiasm. What was the cause, then, of the lively interest

excited by this ship? Simply the mystery which shrouded her destination; it was not known to what kind of

commerce she was to be appropriated, and in questioning different groups the diversity of opinion on this

However, the best informed, at least those who pretended to be so, agreed in saying that the

steamer was going to take part in the terrible war which was then ravaging the United States of America, but

more than this they did not know, and whether the Dolphin was a privateer, a transport ship, or an addition to

"Hurrah!" cried one, affirming that the Dolphin had been built for the Southern States.

"Hip! hip! hip!" cried another, swearing that never had a faster boat crossed to the American

Thus its destination was unknown, and in order to obtain any reliable information one must be an

intimate friend, or, at any rate, an acquaintance of Vincent Playfair Co., of Glasgow.

A rich, powerful, intelligent house of business was that of Vincent Playfair Co., in a social sense,

an old and honourable family, descended from those tobacco lords who built the finest quarters of the town.

These clever merchants, by an act of the Union, had founded the first Glasgow warehouse for dealing in

tobacco from Virginia and Maryland. Immense fortunes were realised; mills and foundries sprang up in all

The house of Playfair remained faithful to the enterprising spirit of its ancestors, it entered into the

most daring schemes, and maintained the honour of English commerce. The principal, Vincent Playfair, a

man of fifty, with a temperament essentially practical and decided, although somewhat daring, was a genuine

shipowner. Nothing affected him beyond commercial questions, not even the political side of the transactions,

However, he could not lay claim to the idea of building and fitting up the Dolphin; she belonged to

his nephew, James Playfair, a fine young man of thirty, the boldest skipper of the British merchant marine.

It was one day at the Tontine coffeeroom under the arcades of the town hall, that James Playfair,

after having impatiently scanned the American journal, disclosed to his uncle an adventurous scheme.

"Uncle Vincent," said he, coming to the point at once, "there are two millions of pounds to be

"It is all seen," replied James Playfair. "You have read the Tribune, the New York Herald, The

"You believe, like me, that the war of the United States will last a long time still?"

"You know how much this struggle will affect the interests of England, and especially those of

"I worry myself about it every day, James, and I cannot think without terror of the commercial

disasters which this war may produce; not but that the house of Playfair is firmly established, nephew; at the

same time it has correspondents which may fail. Ah! those Americans, slaveholders or Abolitionists, I have

If Vincent Playfair was wrong in thus speaking with respect to the great principles of humanity,

always and everywhere superior to personal interests, he was, nevertheless, right from a commercial point of

view. The most important material was failing at Glasgow, the cotton famine became every day more

threatening, thousands of workmen were reduced to living upon public charity. Glasgow possessed 25,000

looms, by which 625,000 yards of cotton were spun daily; that is to say, fifty millions of pounds yearly. From

these numbers it may be guessed what disturbances were caused in the commercial part of the town when the

raw material failed altogether. Failures were hourly taking place, the manufactories were closed, and the

It was the sight of this great misery which had put the idea of his bold enterprise into James

But, as he also was a merchant as well as his uncle Vincent, he resolved to carry out his plan by

way of exchange, and to make his proposition under the guise of a commercial enterprise.

"It is simply this: we will have a ship built of superior sailing qualities and great bulk."

"I will take the command of this steamer, I will defy all the ships of the Federal marine for speed,

"You must make a good bargain for your cargo with the Confederates, who will be in need of it,"

"Oh, I will find them. I do not want many men; enough to work with, that is all. It is not a question

"They shall be distanced," said Uncle Vincent, in a peremptory tone; "but now, tell me, James, to

"Up to now, Uncle, ships have run the blockade of New Orleans, Wilmington, and Savannah, but I

think of going straight to Charleston; no English boat has yet been able to penetrate into the harbour, except

the Bermuda. I will do like her, and, if my ship draws but very little water, I shall be able to go where the

"The fact is," said Uncle Vincent, "Charleston is overwhelmed with cotton; they are even burning

"Yes," replied James; "besides, the town is almost invested; Beauregard is running short of

And this is how it was that five months later the steamer Dolphin was launched from the Kelvin

THE Dolphin was rapidly equipped, her rigging was ready, and there was nothing to do but fit her

up. She carried three schoonermasts, an almost useless luxury; in fact, the Dolphin did not rely on the wind

Towards the end of December a trial of the steamer was made in the gulf of the Clyde. Which was

the more satisfied, builder or captain, it is impossible to say. The new steamer shot along wonderfully, and

the patent log showed a speed of seventeen miles an hour, a speed which as yet no English, French, or

American boat had ever obtained. The Dolphin would certainly have gained by several lengths in a sailing

The loading was begun on the 25th of December, the steamer having ranged along the

steamboatquay a little below Glasgow Bridge, the last which stretches across the Clyde before its mouth.

Here the wharfs were heaped with a heavy cargo of clothes, ammunition, and provisions which were rapidly

carried to the hold of the Dolphin. The nature of this cargo betrayed the mysterious destination of the ship,

and the house of Playfair could no longer keep it secret; besides, the Dolphin must not be long before she

started. No American cruiser had been signalled in English waters; and, then, when the question of getting the

crew came, how was it possible to keep silent any longer? They could not embark them, even, without

informing the men whither they were bound, for, after all, it was a matter of life and death, and when one

However, this prospect hindered no one; the pay was good, and everyone had a share in the

speculation, so that a great number of the finest sailors soon presented themselves. James Playfair was only

embarrassed which to choose, but he chose well, and in twentyfour hours his musterroll bore the names of

The departure was settled for the 3rd of January; on the 31st of December the Dolphin was ready,

The skipper went on board on the 2nd of January, and was giving a last look round his ship with a

captain's eye, when a man presented himself at the fore part of the Dolphin, and asked to speak with the

He was a strong, heartylooking fellow, with broad shoulders and ruddy face, the simple

expression of which illconcealed a depth of wit and mirth. He did not seem to be accustomed to a seafaring

life, and looked about him with the air of a man little used to being on board a ship; however, he assumed the

manner of a Jacktar, looking up at the rigging of the Dolphin, and waddling in true sailor fashion.

When he had reached the Captain, he looked fixedly at him, and said, "Captain James Playfair?"

"You think so?" said James Playfair, giving a sidelong glance at his questioner.

"A rough sailor, with two strong arms, which, I can tell you, are not to be despised on board a ship,

"But there are other ships besides the Dolphin, and other captains besides James Playfair. Why do

"Because it is on board the Dolphin that I wish to serve, and under the orders of Captain James

"There is always need of a strong man, and if to prove my strength you will try me with three or

The Captain made a few steps backwards in order to get a better view of the giant who presented

himself in this odd fashion. The height, the build, and the look of the sailor did not deny his pretensions to

"Ah, well! I have no mind to let a fellow of your stamp escape me. Go and find the first mate, and

Having said this, the Captain expected to see the man turn on his heels and run to the bows, but he

"Yes, but it is not all," replied the sailor. "I have something else to ask you."

"Ah! You are wasting my time," replied James, sharply; "I have not a moment to lose in talking."

"I shall not keep you long," replied Crockston; "two words more and that is all; I was going to tell

"Well, this is what I have to say, when one takes the uncle, the nephew comes into the bargain."

"A lad of fifteen whom I am going to train to the sea; he is willing to learn, and will make a fine

"How now, Master Crockston," cried James Playfair; "do you think the Dolphin is a

"Don't let us speak ill of cabinboys: there was one of them who became Admiral Nelson, and

"Upon my honour, friend," replied James Playfair, "you have a way of speaking which I like; bring

your nephew, but if I don't find the uncle the hearty fellow he pretends to be, he will have some business with

Crockston did not want to be told twice; be bowed awkwardly to the Captain of the Dolphin, and

went on to the quay. An hour afterwards he came on board with his nephew, a boy of fourteen or fifteen,

rather delicate and weakly looking, with a timid and astonished air, which showed that he did not possess his

uncle's selfpossession and vigorous corporeal qualities. Crockston was even obliged to encourage him by

"Come," said he, "don't be frightened, they are not going to eat us, besides, there is yet time to

The same day the sailor Crockston and his nephew were inscribed in the musterroll of the

The next morning, at five o'clock, the fires of the steamer were well fed, the deck trembled under

the vibrations of the boiler, and the steam rushed hissing through the escapepipes. The hour of departure had

A considerable crowd, in spite of the early hour, flocked on the quays and on Glasgow Bridge;

they had come to salute the bold steamer for the last time. Vincent Playfair was there to say goodbye to

Captain James, but he conducted himself on this occasion like a Roman of the good old times. His was a

heroic countenance, and the two loud kisses with which he gratified his nephew were the indication of a

"Go, James," said he to the young Captain, "go quickly, and come back quicker still; above all,

don't abuse your position. Sell at a good price, make a good bargain, and you will have your uncle's esteem."

On this recommendation, borrowed from the manual of the perfect merchant, the uncle and

At this moment Crockston and John Stiggs stood together on the forecastle, while the former

remarked to his nephew, "This is well, this is well; before two o'clock we shall be at sea, and I have a good

This was immediately done, and the screws began to move. The Dolphin trembled, passed between

the ships in the port, and soon disappeared from the sight of the people, who shouted their last hurrahs.

The descent of the Clyde was easily accomplished, one might almost say that this river had been

made by the hand of man, and even by the hand of a master. For sixty years, thanks to the dredges and

constant dragging, it has gained fifteen feet in depth, and its breadth has been tripled between the quays and

the town. Soon the forests of masts and chimneys were lost in the smoke and fog; the noise of the foundry

hammers and the hatchets of the timberyards grew fainter in the distance. After the village of Partick had

been passed the factories gave way to country houses and villas. The Dolphin, slackening her speed, sailed

between the dykes which carry the river above the shores, and often through a very narrow channel, which,

however, is only a small inconvenience for a navigable river, for, after all, depth is of more importance than

width. The steamer, guided by one of those excellent pilots from the Irish sea, passed without hesitation

between floating buoys, stone columns, and biggings, surmounted with lighthouses, which mark the entrance

to the channel. Beyond the town of Renfrew, at the foot of Kilpatrick hills, the Clyde grew wider. Then came

Bouling Bay, at the end of which opens the mouth of the canal which joints Edinburgh to Glasgow. Lastly, at

the height of four hundred feet from the ground, was seen the outline of Dumbarton Castle, almost

indiscernible through the mists, and soon the harbourboats of Glasgow were rocked on the waves which the

Dolphin caused. Some miles farther on Greenock, the birthplace of James Watt, was passed: the Dolphin now

found herself at the mouth of the Clyde, and at the entrance of the gulf by which it empties its waters into the

Northern Ocean. Here the first undulations of the sea were felt, and the steamer ranged along the picturesque

coast of the Isle of Arran. At last the promontory of Cantyre, which runs out into the channel, was doubled;

the Isle of Rattelin was hailed, the pilot returned by a shoreboat to his cutter, which was cruising in the open

sea; the Dolphin, returning to her Captain's authority, took a less frequented route round the north of Ireland,

and soon, having lost sight of the last European land, found herself in the open ocean.

THE Dolphin had a good crew, not fighting men, or boarding sailors, but good working men, and

that was all she wanted. These brave, determined fellows were all, more or less, merchants; they sought a

fortune rather than glory; they had no flag to display, no colours to defend with cannon; in fact, all the

The Dolphin shot bravely across the water, and fulfilled the utmost expectations of both builder

and captain. Soon she passed the limit of British seas; there was not a ship in sight; the great ocean route was

free; besides, no ship of the Federal marine would have a right to attack her beneath the English flag.

Followed she might be, and prevented from forcing the blockade, and precisely for this reason had James

Playfair sacrificed everything to the speed of his ship, in order not to be pursued.

Howbeit a careful watch was kept on board, and, in spite of the extreme cold, a man was always in

the rigging ready to signal the smallest sail that appeared on the horizon. When evening came, Captain James

"Don't leave the man on watch too long in the rigging; the cold may seize him, and in that case it is

"Try Crockston for that work; the fellow pretends to have excellent sight; it must be put to trial;

put him on the morning watch, he will have the morning mists to see through. If anything particular happens

This said, James Playfair went to his cabin. Mr. Mathew called Crockston, and told him the

"Tomorrow, at six o'clock," said he, "you are to relieve watch of the main masthead."

For reply, Crockston gave a decided grunt, but Mr. Mathew had hardly turned his back when the

"It's all right, all right," said the seaman, with a forced smile; "there is only one thing, this

wretched boat shakes herself like a dog coming out of the water, and it makes my head confused."

"For you and him," replied Crockston, "but not a word about that, John. Trust in God, and He will

So saying, John Stiggs and Crockston went to the sailor's berth, but the sailor did not lie down

before he had seen the young novice comfortably settled in the narrow cabin which he had got for him.

The next day, at six o'clock in the morning, Crockston got up to go to his place; he went on deck,

where the first officer ordered him to go up into the rigging, and keep good watch.

At these words the sailor seemed undecided what to do; then, making up his mind, he went

"And I am going there," replied the sailor, in an ununconcerned tone, continuing his way to the

"Are you a fool?" cried Mr. Mathew, impatiently; "you are looking for the bars of the main on the

foremast. You are like a cockney, who doesn't know how to twist a cato'ninetails, or make a splice. On

The sailors who had run up to hear what was going on burst out laughing when they saw

"So," said he, looking up the mast, the top of which was quite invisible through the morning mists;

"Yes," replied Mr. Mathew, "and hurry yourself! By St. Patrick, a Federal ship would have time to

get her bowsprit fast in our rigging before that lazy fellow could get to his post. Will you go up?"

Without a word, Crockston got on the bulwarks with some difficulty; then he began to climb the

rigging with most visible awkwardness, like a man who did not know how to make use of his hands or feet.

When he had reached the topgallant, instead of springing lightly on to it, he remained motionless, clinging to

the ropes, as if he had been seized with giddiness. Mr. Mathew, irritated by his stupidity, ordered him to

"That fellow there," said he to the boatswain, "has never been a sailor in his life. Johnston, just go

In the meantime Crockston was with difficulty coming down again, but, his foot having slipped, he

"Clumsy blockhead! landlubber!" cried Mr. Mathew, by way of consolation. "What did you come

to do on board the Dolphin! Ah! you entered as an able seaman, and you cannot even distinguish the main

Crockston made no attempt to speak; he bent his back like a man resigned to anything he might

"This," said he to the first officer, "is all that I have found; a suspicious portfolio with letters."

"Give them here," said Mr. Mathew. "Letters with Federal stamps! Mr. Halliburtt, of Boston! An

Abolitionist! a Federalist! Wretch! you are nothing but a traitor, and have sneaked on board to betray us!

Never mind, you will be paid for your trouble with the cato'ninetails! Boatswain, call the Captain, and

Crockston received these compliments with a hideous grimace, but he did not open his lips. They

A few minutes later James Playfair came out of his cabin and went to the forecastle, where Mr.

"What have you to say?" asked James Playfair, scarcely able to restrain his anger.

"Boatswain," said James Playfair, "fifty lashes with the cato'ninetails to loosen his tongue.

"It will remain to be seen," replied John Stiggs' uncle without moving a muscle.

At this order, two strong sailors stripped Crockston of his woollen jersey; they had already seized

the formidable weapon, and laid it across the prisoner's shoulders, when the novice, John Stiggs, pale and

"Captain," repeated the novice, with a violent effort to steady his voice, "I will tell you what

Crockston does not want to say. I will hide it no longer; yes, he is American, and so am I; we are both

enemies of the slaveholders, but not traitors come on board to betray the Dolphin into the hands of the

"What did you come to do, then?" asked the Captain, in a severe tone, examining the novice

attentively. The latter hesitated a few seconds before replying, then he said, "Captain, I should like to speak to

Whilst John Stiggs made this request, James Playfair did not cease to look carefully at him; the

sweet young face of the novice, his peculiarly gentle voice, the delicacy and whiteness of his hands, hardly

disguised by paint, the large eyes, the animation of which could not bide their tenderness all this together

gave rise to a certain suspicion in the Captain's mind. When John Stiggs had made his request, Playfair

glanced fixedly at Crockston, who shrugged his shoulders; then he fastened a questioning look on the novice,

John Stiggs followed the Captain on to the poop, and then James Playfair, opening the door of his

cabin, said to the novice, whose cheeks were pale with emotion, "Be so kind as to walk in, miss."

John, thus addressed, blushed violently, and two tears rolled involuntarily down his cheeks.

"Don't be alarmed, miss," said James Playfair, in a gentle voice, "but be so good as to tell me how I

The young girl hesitated a moment, then, reassured by the Captain's look, she made up her mind to

"Sir," said she, "I wanted to join my father at Charleston; the town is besieged by land and

blockaded by sea. I knew not how to get there, when I heard that the Dolphin meant to force the blockade. I

came on board your ship, and I beg you to forgive me if I acted without your consent, which you would have

"I did well, then, not to ask you," resumed the young girl, with a firmer voice.

"Your father, if I remember rightly the address on the letters, is he not from Boston?"

"My father is a prisoner; he was at Charleston when the first shot of the Civil War was fired, and

the troops of the Union driven from Fort Sumter by the Confederates. My father's opinions exposed him to

the hatred of the slavist part, and by the order of General Beauregard he was imprisoned. I was then in

England, living with a relation who has just died, and left alone, with no help but that of Crockston, our

"A loyal and brave journalist," replied Jenny proudly, one of the noblest editors of the Tribune, and

"An Abolitionist," cried the Captain angrily; "one of those men who, under the vain pretence of

"Sir!" replied Jenny Halliburtt, growing pale, "you are insulting my father; you must not forget that

The young Captain blushed scarlet; anger mingled with shame struggled in his breast; perhaps he

would have answered the young girl, but he succeeded in restraining himself, and, opening the door of the

"This cabin will henceforward belong to Miss Jenny Halliburtt. Have a cot made ready for me at

The boatswain looked with a stupefied stare at the young novice addressed in a feminine name, but

"And now, miss, you are at home," said the young Captain of the Dolphin. Then he retired.

IT WAS not long before the whole crew knew Miss Halliburtt's story, which Crockston was no

longer hindered from telling. By the Captain's orders he was released from the capstan, and the

As soon as he was free, he went down to the sailors' berths, found a small portmanteau, and carried

it to Miss Jenny; the young girl was now able to resume her feminine attire, but she remained in her cabin,

As for Crockston, it was well and duly agreed that, as he was no more a sailor than a horseguard,

In the meanwhile the Dolphin, with her twin screws cutting the waves, sped rapidly across the

Atlantic, and there was nothing now to do but keep a strict lookout. The day following the discovery of

Miss Jenny's identity, James Playfair paced the deck at the poop with a rapid step; he had made no attempt to

Whilst he was walking to and fro, Crockston passed him several times, looking at him askant with

a satisfied grin. He evidently wanted to speak to the Captain, and at last his persistent manner attracted the

"How now, what do you want? You are turning round me like a swimmer round a buoy: when are

"Oh, it is nothing very much. I only wanted to tell you frankly that you are a good fellow at

"I am not complimenting you. I shall wait to do that when you have gone to the end."

"Decidedly, you have taken the young girl and myself on board; good! You have given up your

cabin to Miss Halliburtt; good! You released me from the cato'ninetails; nothing could be better. You are

"No, certainly not," replied the latter, with a knowing look, "the father is prisoner there."

"Most certainly, and it is worth risking something for such a noble man and courageous citizen as

"Master Crockston," said James Playfair, frowning, "I am not in the humour for your jokes, so

"You misunderstand me, Captain," said the American. "I am not joking in the least, but speaking

quite seriously. What I have proposed may at first seem very absurd to you; when you have thought it over,

"Just so. You can demand his release of General Beauregard, who will not refuse you."

"In that case," replied Crockston, in a deliberate tone, "we must use stronger measures, and carry

"So," cried James Playfair, who was beginning to get angry, "so, not content with passing through

the Federal fleets and forcing the blockade of Charleston, I must run out to sea again from under the cannon

of the forts, and this to deliver a gentleman I know nothing of, one of those Abolitionists whom I detest, one

"Master Crockston," said James Playfair, "mind what I say: if ever you mention this affair again to

me, I will send you to the hold for the rest of the passage, to teach you manners."

Thus saying, the Captain dismissed the American, who went off murmuring, "Ah, well, I am not

altogether displeased with this conversation: at any rate, the affair is broached; it will do, it will do!"

James Playfair had hardly meant it when he said an Abolitionist whom I detest; he did not in the

least side with the Federals, but he did not wish to admit that the question of slavery was the predominant

reason for the civil war of the United States, in spite of President Lincoln's formal declaration. Did he, then,

think that the Southern States, eight out of thirtysix, were right in separating when they had been voluntarily

united? Not so; he detested the Northerners, and that was all; he detested them as brothers separated from the

common family true Englishmen who had thought it right to do what he, James Playfair, disapproved

of with regard to the United States: these were the political opinions of the Captain of the Dolphin. But, more

than this, the American war interfered with him personally, and he had a grudge against those who had

caused this war; one can understand, then, how he would receive a proposition to deliver an Abolitionist, thus

However, Crockston's insinuation did not fail to disturb him; he cast the thought from him, but it

returned unceasingly to his mind, and when Miss Jenny came on deck the next day for a few minutes, he

And really it was a great pity, for this young girl, with the fair hair and sweet, intelligent face,

deserved to be looked at by a young man of thirty. But James felt embarrassed in her presence; he felt that

this charming creature who had been educated in the school of misfortune possessed a strong and generous

soul; he understood that his silence towards her inferred a refusal to acquiesce in her dearest wishes; besides,

Miss Jenny never looked out for James Playfair, neither did she avoid him. Thus for the first few days they

spoke little or not at all to each other. Miss Halliburtt scarcely ever left her cabin, and it is certain she would

never have addressed herself to the Captain of the Dolphin if it had not been for Crockston's strategy, which

The worthy American was a faithful servant of the Halliburtt family; he had been brought up in his

master's house, and his devotion knew no bounds. His good sense equalled his courage and energy, and, as

has been seen, he had a way of looking things straight in the face. He was very seldom discouraged, and

could generally find a way out of the most intricate dangers with a wonderful skill.

This honest fellow had taken it into his head to deliver Mr. Halliburtt, to employ the Captain's ship,

and the Captain himself for this purpose, and to return with him to England. Such was his intention, so long

as the young girl had no other object than to rejoin her father and share his captivity. It was this Crockston

tried to make the Captain understand, as we have seen, but the enemy had not yet surrendered; on the

"Now," said he, "it is absolutely necessary that Miss Jenny and the Captain come to an

understanding; if they are going to be sulky like this all the passage we shall get nothing done. They must

speak, discuss; let them dispute even, so long as they talk, and I'll be hanged if during their conversation

But when Crockston saw that the young girl and the young man avoided each other, he began to be

"We must look sharp," said he to himself, and the morning of the fourth day he entered Miss

"Good news!" cried he, "good news! You will never guess what the Captain has proposed to me. A

"To deliver Mr. Halliburtt, to carry him off from the Confederates, and bring him to England."

"It is as I say, miss. What a goodhearted man this James Playfair is! These English are either all

good or all bad. Ah! he may reckon on my gratitude, and I am ready to cut myself in pieces if it would please

Jenny's joy was profound on hearing Crockston's words. Deliver her father! She had never dared to

think of such a plan, and the Captain of the Dolphin was going to risk his ship and crew!

"That's what he is," added Crockston; "and this, Miss Jenny, is well worth an acknowledgment

And immediately she left the cabin to find James Playfair, and express to him the sentiments which

James Playfair was pacing to and fro on the poop, and, as may be thought, he was very much

surprised, not to say amazed, to see the young girl come up to him, her eyes moist with grateful tears, and,

"Thank you, sir, thank you for your kindness, which I should never have dared to expect from a

"Miss," replied the Captain, as if he understood nothing of what she was talking, and could not

"Nevertheless, sir, you are going to brave many dangers, perhaps compromise your interests for

me, and you have done so much already in offering me on board an hospitality to which I have no right

"Pardon me, Miss Jenny," interrupted James Playfair, "but I protest again I do not understand your

words. I have acted towards you as any wellbred man would towards a lady, and my conduct deserves

"Mr. Playfair," said Jenny, "it is useless to pretend any longer; Crockston has told me all!"

"Ah!" said the Captain, "Crockston has told you all; then I understand less than ever the reason for

Whilst speaking the Captain felt very much embarrassed; he remembered the rough way in which

he had received the American's overtures, but Jenny, fortunately for him, did not give him time for further

"Mr. James, I had no other object in coming on board your ship except to go to Charleston, and

there, however cruel the slaveholders may be, they will not refuse to let a poor girl share her father's prison;

that was all. I had never thought of a return as possible; but, since you are so generous as to wish for my

father's deliverance, since you will attempt everything to save him, be assured you have my deepest

James did not know what to do or what part to assume; he bit his lip; he dared not take the hand

offered him; he saw perfectly that Crockston had compromised him, so that escape was impossible. At the

same time he had no thoughts of delivering Mr. Halliburtt, and getting complicated in a disagreeable

business: but how dash to the ground the hope which had arisen in this poor girl's heart? How refuse the hand

which she held out to him with a feeling of such profound friendship? How change to tears of grief the tears

So the young man tried to reply evasively, in a manner which would ensure his liberty of action for

And he took the little hand in both of his, but with the gentle pressure he felt his heart melt and his

head grow confused: words to express his thoughts failed him. He stammered out some incoherent words:

Crockston, who was watching him, rubbed his hands, grinning and repeating to himself:

How James Playfair would have managed to extricate himself from his embarrassing position no

one knows, but fortunately for him, if not for the Dolphin, the man on watch was heard crying:

James Playfair, leaving the young girl, immediately sprang to the shrouds of the mainmast.

UNTIL now the navigation of the Dolphin had been very fortunate. Not one ship had been

The Dolphin was then in 32d 51' lat., and 57d 43' W. long. For fortyeight hours a fog, which now

began to rise, had covered the ocean. If this mist favoured the Dolphin by hiding her course, it also prevented

any observations at a distance being made, and, without being aware of it, she might be sailing side by side,

Now this is just what had happened, and when the ship was signalled she was only three miles to

When James Playfair had reached the crosstrees, he saw distinctly, through an opening in the

After having carefully examined her, the Captain came down on deck again, and called to the first

"I think, Captain, that it is a Federal cruiser, which suspects our intentions."

At this moment the starry flag of the North United States appeared on the gaffyards of the

"An invitation to show ours," said Mr. Mathew. "Well, let us show them; there is nothing to be

"What's the good?" replied James Playfair. "Our flag will hardly protect us, and it will not hinder

"And go quickly," replied Mr. Mathew, "for, if my eyes do not deceive me, I have already seen

that corvette lying off Liverpool, where she went to watch the ships in building: my name is not Mathew, if

"Oh, don't shrug your shoulders, Captain," said Mr. Mathew, in a serious tone; "two out of those

eight guns are rifled, one is a sixtypounder on the forecastle, and the other a hundredpounder on deck."

"Upon my soul!" exclaimed James Playfair, "they are Parrott's, and will carry three miles."

"Ah, well! Mr. Mathew, let their guns be sixty or only fourpounders, and let them carry three

miles or five hundred yards, it is all the same if we can go fast enough to avoid their shot. We will show this

Iroquois how a ship can go when she is built on purpose to go. Have the fires drawn forward, Mr. Mathew."

The first officer gave the Captain's orders to the engineer, and soon volumes of black smoke curled

This proceeding did not seem to please the corvette, for she made the Dolphin the signal to lie to,

but James Playfair paid no attention to this warning, and did not change his ship's course.

"Now," said he, "we shall see what the Iroquois will do; here is a fine opportunity for her to try her

Returning to the poop, the Captain saw Miss Halliburtt sitting quietly near the bulwarks.

"Miss Jenny," said he, "we shall probably be chased by that corvette you see to windward, and as

she will speak to us with shot, I beg to offer you my arm to take you to your cabin again."

"Thank you, very much, Mr. Playfair," replied the young girl, looking at him, "but I am not afraid

"Oh, I was not brought up to be fearful; they accustom us to everything in America, and I assure

"I can refuse you nothing, Miss Halliburtt," replied the Captain, looking at the young girl's calm

These words were hardly uttered when they saw a line of white smoke issue from the bulwarks of

the corvette; before the report had reached the Dolphin a projectile whizzed through the air in the direction of

At about twenty fathoms from the Dolphin the shot, the speed of which had sensibly lessened,

skimmed over the surface of the waves, marking its passage by a series of waterjets; then, with another

burst, it rebounded to a certain height, passed over the Dolphin, grazing the mizzenyards on the starboard

"By Jove!" exclaimed James Playfair, "we must get along; another slap like that is not to be waited

"Upon my honour, it is an interesting sight," said Crockston, who, with arms crossed, stood

"Ah! that's you," cried James Playfair, scanning the American from head to foot.

"It is me, Captain," replied the American, undisturbed. "I have come to see how these brave

The Captain was going to answer Crockston sharply, but at this moment a second shot struck the

"Good!" cried James Playfair, "we have already gained two cables on this Iroquois. Your friends

"I will not say they don't," replied the American, "and for the first time in my life it does not fail to

A third shot fell still farther astern, and in less than ten minutes the Dolphin was out of range of the

"So much for patentlogs, Mr. Mathew," said James Playfair; "thanks to those shot we know how

to rate our speed. Now have the fires lowered; it is not worth while to waste our coal uselessly."

"It is a good ship that you command," said Miss Halliburtt to the young Captain.

"Yes, Miss Jenny, my good Dolphin makes her seventeen knots, and before the day is over we

James Playfair did not exaggerate the sailing qualities of his ship, and the sun had not set before

This incident allowed the Captain to see Miss Halliburtt's character in a new light; besides, the ice

was broken, henceforward, during the whole of the voyage; the interviews between the Captain and his

passenger were frequent and prolonged; be found her to be a young girl, calm, strong, thoughtful, and

intelligent, speaking with great ease, having her own ideas about everything, and expressing her thoughts

She loved her country, she was zealous in the great cause of the Union, and expressed herself on

the civil war in the United States with an enthusiasm of which no other woman would have been capable.

Thus it happened, more than once, that James Playfair found it difficult to answer her, even when questions

purely mercantile arose in connection with the war: Miss Jenny attacked them none the less vigorously, and

would come to no other terms whatever. At first James argued a great deal, and tried to uphold the

Confederates against the Federals, to prove that the Secessionists were in the right, and that if the people were

united voluntarily they might separate in the same manner. But the young girl would not yield on this point;

she demonstrated that the question of slavery was predominant in the struggle between the North and South

Americans, that it was far more a war in the cause of morals and humanity than politics, and James could

make no answer. Besides, during these discussions, which he listened to attentively, it is difficult to say

whether he was more touched by Miss Halliburtt's arguments or the charming manner in which she spoke;

but at last he was obliged to acknowledge, among other things, that slavery was the principal feature in the

war, that it must be put an end to decisively, and the last horrors of barbarous times abolished.

It has been said that the political opinions of the Captain did not trouble him much. He would have

sacrificed his most serious opinion before such enticing arguments and under like circumstances; he made a

good bargain of his ideas for the same reason, but at last he was attacked in his tenderest point; this was the

question of the traffic in which the Dolphin was being employed, and, consequently, the ammunition which

"Yes, Mr. James," said Miss Halliburtt, "gratitude does not hinder me from speaking with perfect

frankness; on the contrary, you are a brave seaman, a clever merchant, the house of Playfair is noted for its

respectability; but in this case it fails in its principles, and follows a trade unworthy of it."

"How!" cried James, "the house of Playfair ought not to attempt such a commercial enterprise?"

"No! it is taking ammunition to the unhappy creatures in revolt against the government of their

"Upon my honour, Miss Jenny, I will not discuss the right of the Confederates with you; I will only

answer you with one word: I am a merchant, and as such I only occupy myself with the interests of my house;

"That is precisely what is to be blamed, Mr. James," replied the young girl; "profit does not excuse

it; thus, when you supply arms to the Southerners, with which to continue a criminal war, you are quite as

"No; what I say is just, and when you consider it, when you understand the part you are playing,

when you think of the results for which you are responsible, you will yield to me in this point, as in so many

James Playfair was dumfounded at these words; he left the young girl, a prey to angry thoughts, for

he felt his powerlessness to answer; then he sulked like a child for half an hour, and an hour later he returned

to the singular young girl who could overwhelm him with convincing arguments with quite a pleasant smile.

In short, however it may have come about, and although he would not acknowledge it to himself,

Captain James Playfair belonged to himself no longer; he was no longer commanderinchief on board his

Thus, to Crockston's great joy, Mr. Halliburtt's affairs appeared to be in a good way; the Captain

seemed to have decided to undertake everything in his power to deliver Miss Jenny's father, and for this he

would be obliged to compromise the Dolphin, his cargo, his crew, and incur the displeasure of his worthy

Two days after the meeting with the Iroquois, the Dolphin found herself abreast of the Bermudas,

where she was assailed by a violent squall. These isles are frequently visited by hurricanes, and are celebrated

for shipwrecks. It is here that Shakespeare has placed the exciting scene of his drama, The Tempest, in which

The squall was frightful; James Playfair thought once of running for one of the Bermudas, where

the English had a military post: it would have been a sad waste of time, and therefore especially to be

regretted; happily the Dolphin behaved herself wonderfully well in the storm, and, after flying a whole day

before the tempest, she was able to resume her course towards the American coast.

But if James Playfair had been pleased with his ship, he had not been less delighted with the young

girl's bravery; Miss Halliburtt had passed the worst hours of the storm at his side, and James knew that a

"Yes," said he, "this brave girl is mistress on board; she turns me like the sea a ship in distress I

feel that I am foundering! What will Uncle Vincent say? Ah! poor nature, I am sure that if Jenny asked me to

throw all this cursed cargo into the sea, I should do it without hesitating, for love of her."

Happily for the firm of Playfair Co., Miss Halliburtt did not demand this sacrifice; nevertheless,

the poor Captain had been taken captive, and Crockston, who read his heart like an open book, rubbed his

"We will hold him fast!" he muttered to himself, "and before a week has passed my master will be

As for Miss Jenny, did she perceive the feelings which she inspired? Did she allow herself to share

them? No one could say, and James Playfair least of all; the young girl kept a perfect reserve, and her secret

But whilst love was making such progress in the heart of the young Captain, the Dolphin sped with

On the 13th of January, the watch signalled land ten miles to the west. It was a lowlying coast,

and almost blended with the line of the sea in the distance. Crockston was examining the horizon attentively,

Now that the bearings of the Dolphin were set, James Playfair had but one thing to do, to decide by

"If we meet with no obstacles," said he, "before three o'clock we shall be in safety in the docks of

The town of Charleston is situated on the banks of an estuary seven miles long and two broad,

called Charleston Harbour, the entrance to which is rather difficult. It is enclosed between Morris Island on

the south and Sullivan Island on the north. At the time when the Dolphin attempted to force the blockade

Morris Island already belonged to the Federal troops, and General Gillmore had caused batteries to be erected

overlooking the harbour. Sullivan Island, on the contrary, was in the hands of the Confederates, who were

also in possession of Moultrie Fort, situated at the extremity of the island; therefore it would be advantageous

to the Dolphin to go as close as possible to the northern shores to avoid the firing from the forts on Morris

Five channels led into the estuary, Sullivan Island Channel, the Northern Channel, the Overall

Channel, the Principal Channel, and lastly, the Lawford Channel; but it was useless for strangers, unless they

had skilful pilots on board, or ships drawing less than seven feet of water, to attempt this last; as for Northern

and Overall Channels, they were in range of the Federalist batteries, so that it was no good thinking of them.

If James Playfair could have had his choice, he would have taken his steamer through the Principal Channel,

which was the best, and the bearings of which were easy to follow; but it was necessary to yield to

circumstances, and to decide according to the event. Besides, the Captain of the Dolphin knew perfectly all

the secrets of this bay, its dangers, the depths of its water at low tide, and its currents, so that he was able to

steer his ship with the greatest safety as soon as he entered one of these narrow straits. The great question was

Now this work demanded an experienced seaman, and one who knew exactly the qualities of the

In fact, two Federal frigates were now cruising in the Charleston waters. Mr. Mathew soon drew

"Ah, well! we won't answer them," replied the Captain, "and they will not get their curiosity

In the meanwhile the cruisers were coming on full steam towards the Dolphin, who continued her

course, taking care to keep out of range of their guns. But in order to gain time James Playfair made for the

southwest, wishing to put the enemies' ships off their guard; the latter must have thought that the Dolphin

intended to make for Morris Island Channel. Now there they had batteries and guns, a single shot from which

would have been enough to sink the English ship; so the Federals allowed the Dolphin to run towards the

Thus for an hour the respective situations of the ships did not change, for James Playfair, wishing

to deceive the cruisers as to the course of the Dolphin, had caused the fires to be moderated, so that the speed

was decreased. However, from the thick volumes of smoke which escaped from the chimneys, it might have

been thought that he was trying to get his maximum pressure, and, consequently his maximum of rapidity.

"They will be slightly astonished presently," said James Playfair, "when they see us slip through

In fact, when the Captain saw that he was near enough to Morris Island, and before a line of guns,

the range of which he did not know, he turned his rudder quickly, and the ship resumed her northerly course,

leaving the cruisers two miles to windward of her; the latter, seeing this manoeuvre, understood the steamer's

object, and began to pursue her in earnest, but it was too late. The Dolphin doubled her speed under the action

of the screws, and distanced them rapidly. Going nearer to the coast, a few shell were sent after her as an

acquittal of conscience, but the Federals were outdone, for their projectiles did not reach halfway. At eleven

o'clock in the morning, the steamer ranging near Sullivan Island, thanks to her small draft, entered the narrow

strait full steam; there she was in safety, for no Federalist cruiser dared follow her in this channel, the depth

"Oh! oh! Master Crockston," said James Playfair, "the difficulty is not in entering, but in getting

"Nonsense!" replied the American, "that does not make me at all uneasy; with a boat like the

Dolphin and a Captain like Mr. James Playfair, one can go where one likes, and come out in the same

Nevertheless, James Playfair, with telescope in his hand, was attentively examining the route to be

followed. He had before him excellent coasting guides, with which he could go ahead without any difficulty

Once his ship was safely in the narrow channel which runs the length of Sullivan Island, James

steered bearing towards the middle of Fort Moultrie as far as the Pickney Castle, situated on the isolated

island of Shute's Folly; on the other side rose Fort Johnson, a little way to the north of Fort Sumter.

At this moment the steamer was saluted by some shot which did not reach her, from the batteries

on Morris Island. She continued her course without any deviation, passed before Moultrieville, situated at the

Soon Fort Sumter on the left protected her from the batteries of the Federalists.

This fort, so celebrated in the civil war, is situated three miles and a half from Charleston, and

about a mile from each side of the bay: it is nearly pentagonal in form, built on an artificial island of

Massachusetts granite; it took ten years to construct and cost more than 900,000 dollars.

It was from this fort, on the 13th of April, 1861, that Anderson and the Federal troops were driven,

and it was against it that the first shot of the Confederates was fired. It is impossible to estimate the quantity

of iron and lead which the Federals showered down upon it. However, it resisted for almost three years, but a

few months after the passage of the Dolphin it fell beneath General Gillmore's three hundredpounders on

But at this time it was in all its strength, and the Confederate flag floated proudly above it.

Once past the fort, the town of Charleston appeared, lying between Ashley and Cooper Rivers.

James Playfair threaded his way through the buoys which mark the entrance of the channel,

leaving behind the Charleston lighthouse, visible above Morris Island. He had hoisted the English flag, and

made his way with wonderful rapidity through the narrow channels. When he had passed the quarantine

buoy, he advanced freely into the centre of the bay. Miss Halliburtt was standing on the poop, looking at the

At last the steamer's speed was moderated by the Captain's orders; the Dolphin ranged along the

end of the south and east batteries, and was soon moored at the quay of the North Commercial Wharf.

THE Dolphin, on arriving at the Charleston quay, had been saluted by the cheers of a large crowd.

The inhabitants of this town, strictly blockaded by sea, were not accustomed to visits from European ships.

They asked each other, not without astonishment, what this great steamer, proudly bearing the English flag,

had come to do in their waters; but when they learned the object of her voyage, and why she had just forced

the passage Sullivan, when the report spread that she carried a cargo of smuggled ammunition, the cheers and

James Playfair, without losing a moment, entered into negotiation with General Beauregard, the

military commander of the town. The latter eagerly received the young Captain of the Dolphin, who had

arrived in time to provide the soldiers with the clothes and ammunition they were so much in want of. It was

agreed that the unloading of the ship should take place immediately, and numerous hands came to help the

Before quitting his ship James Playfair had received from Miss Halliburtt the most pressing

injunctions with regard to her father, and the Captain had placed himself entirely at the young girl's service.

"Miss Jenny," he had said, "you may rely on me; I will do the utmost in my power to save your

father, but I hope this business will not present many difficulties. I shall go and see General Beauregard

today, and, without asking him at once for Mr. Halliburtt's liberty, I shall learn in what situation he is,

"My poor father!" replied Jenny, sighing; "he little thinks his daughter is so near him. Oh that I

"A little patience, Miss Jenny; you will soon embrace your father. Rely upon my acting with the

This is why James Playfair, after having delivered the cargo of the Dolphin up to the General, and

bargained for an immense stock of cotton, faithful to his promise, turned the conversation to the events of the

"I do not for a moment doubt of our final success, and, as regards Charleston, Lee's army will soon

relieve it: besides, what do you expect from the Abolitionists? Admitting that which will never be, that the

commercial towns of Virginia, the two Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, fall under their power, what then? Will

they be masters of a country they can never occupy? No, certainly not; and for my part, if they are ever

"And you are quite sure of your soldiers?" asked the Captain. "You are not afraid that Charleston

"No, I do not fear treason; besides, the traitors would be punished remorselessly, and I would

destroy the town itself by sword or fire if I discovered the least Unionist movement. Jefferson Davis confided

"Have you any Federal prisoners?" asked James Playfair, coming to the interesting object of the

"Yes, Captain," replied the General, "it was at Charleston that the first shot of separation was fired.

The Abolitionists who were here attempted to resist, and, after being defeated, they have been kept as

"They were until I discovered a plot formed by them: their chief succeeded in establishing a

communication with the besiegers, who were thus informed of the situation of affairs in the town. I was then

obliged to lock up these dangerous guests, and several of them will only leave their prison to ascend the slope

of the citadel, where ten confederate balls will reward them for their federalism."

"Yes, and their chief first of all. He is a very dangerous man to have in a besieged town. I have

sent his letters to the President at Richmond, and before a week is passed his sentence will be irrevocably

"Who is this man you speak of?" asked James Playfair, with an assumed carelessness.

"A journalist from Boston, a violent Abolitionist with the confounded spirit of Lincoln."

"Poor wretch!" exclaimed James, suppressing his emotion. "Whatever he may have done, one

"I am sure of it," replied Beauregard. "What can you expect? War is war; one must defend oneself

"Well, it is nothing to me," said the Captain. "I shall be far enough away when this execution takes

"Yes, General, business must be attended to; as soon as my cargo of cotton is on board I shall be

out to sea again. I was fortunate enough to enter the bay, but the difficulty is in getting out again. The

Dolphin is a good ship; she can beat any of the Federal vessels for speed, but she does not pretend to distance

cannonballs, and a shell in her hull or engine would seriously affect my enterprise."

"As you please, Captain," replied Beauregard; "I have no advice to give you under such

circumstances. You are doing your business, and you are right. I should act in the same manner were I in your

place; besides, a stay at Charleston is not very pleasant, and a harbour where shells are falling three days out

of four is not a safe shelter for your ship; so you will set sail when you please; but can you tell me what is the

James Playfair did his best to answer the General, and took leave of him on the best of terms; then

he returned to the Dolphin very thoughtful and very depressed from what he had just heard.

"What shall I say to Miss Jenny? Ought I to tell her of Mr. Halliburtt's terrible situation? Or would

it be better to keep her in ignorance of the trial which is awaiting her? Poor child!"

He had not gone fifty steps from the governor's house when he ran against Crockston. The worthy

James Playfair looked steadily at Crockston, and the latter soon understood he had no favourable

At this news anyone else but Crockston would have grown furious or given way to bursts of grief,

but the American, who feared nothing, only said, with almost a smile on his lips:

"How! what does it matter?" cried James Playfair. "I tell you that Mr. Halliburtt will be shot within

"And I mean it if in six days he is on board the Dolphin, and if in seven days the Dolphin is on

"Right!" exclaimed the Captain, pressing Crockston's hand. "I understand, my good fellow, you

have got some pluck; and for myself, in spite of Uncle Vincent, I would throw myself overboard for Miss

"No one need be thrown overboard," replied the American, "only the fish would gain by that: the

"Nonsense," exclaimed Crockston; "a prisoner thinks more of escaping than his guardian thinks of

"But now what will you do? There must be some plan: and there are precautions to be taken."

"But when Miss Jenny learns that her father is condemned to death, and that the order for his

Miss JENNY, sitting at the poop of the Dolphin, was anxiously waiting the Captain's return; when

the latter went up to her she could not utter a word, but her eyes questioned James Playfair more eagerly than

her lips could have done. The latter, with Crockston's help, informed the young girl of the facts relating to her

father's imprisonment. He said that he had carefully broached the subject of the prisoners of war to

Beauregard, but, as the General did not seem disposed at all in their favour, he had thought it better to say no

"Since Mr. Halliburtt is not free in the town, his escape will be more difficult; but I will finish my

task, and I promise you, Miss Jenny, that the Dolphin shall not leave Charleston without having your father

He approached the young girl with moist eyes and quivering lips; perhaps he was going to make an

"This is no time for grieving," said he; "we must go to work, and consider what to do."

"Excellent! and all the ministers in Washington could not devise a better; it is almost as good as if

Crockston spoke with such perfect assurance, at the same time with such simplicity, that it must

"Good! You, Captain, will go to General Beauregard, and ask a favour of him which he will not

"You will tell him that you have on board a tiresome subject, a scamp who has been very

troublesome during the voyage, and excited the crew to revolt. You will ask of him permission to shut him up

in the citadel; at the same time, on the condition that he shall return to the ship on her departure, in order to be

"Good!" said James Playfair, half smiling, "I will do all that, and Beauregard will grant my request

"Oh! you brave, generous heart," cried Jenny, pressing the American's rough hands between her

"Go, Crockston," said James Playfair; "I understand you, my friend; and I only regret one thing

"Everyone his part," replied Crockston; "if you put yourself in my place you would be very much

embarrassed, which I shall not be; you will have enough to do later on to get out of the harbour under the fire

"Once in the citadel I know it I shall see what to do, and rest assured I shall do my best; in

"Not at all! And what would your Uncle Vincent say to that? We must join sentiment with work; it

"On the evening of the 22nd of January, you understand, send a gig with your best men to White

Point, at the end of the town; wait there till nine o'clock, and then you will see Mr. Halliburtt and your

"But how will you manage to effect Mr. Halliburtt's deliverance, and also escape yourself?"

"Don't be uneasy, Miss Jenny, I shall risk absolutely nothing, you may believe me."

"Money to buy the gaoler! Oh, no, it would be a poor bargain; when one goes there the gaoler

keeps the money and the prisoner! No, I have surer means than that; however, a few dollars may be useful;

"No, an intoxicated gaoler would spoil everything. No, I tell you I have an idea; let me work it

"Crockston," said the young girl, in a faltering voice, "you are the best man on earth."

"I know it," replied the American, laughing goodhumouredly. "By the by, Captain, an important

"If the General proposes to hang your rebel you know that military men like sharp work "

The same day, to the great astonishment of the crew, who were not in the secret, Crockston, with

his feet and hands in irons, was taken on shore by a dozen sailors, and half an hour after, by Captain James

Playfair's request, he was led through the streets of the town, and, in spite of his resistance, was imprisoned in

During this and the following days the unloading of the Dolphin was rapidly accomplished; the

steam cranes lifted out the European cargo to make room for the native goods. The people of Charleston, who

were present at this interesting work, helped the sailors, whom they held in great respect, but the Captain did

not leave the brave fellows much time for receiving compliments; he was constantly behind them, and urged

them on with a feverish activity, the reason of which the sailors could not suspect.

Three days later, on the 18th of January, the first bales of cotton began to be packed in the hold:

although James Playfair troubled himself no more about it, the firm of Playfair and Co. were making an

excellent bargain, having obtained the cotton which encumbered the Charleston wharves at very far less than

In the meantime no news had been heard of Crockston. Jenny, without saying anything about it,

was a prey to incessant fears; her pale face spoke for her, and James Playfair endeavoured his utmost to ease

"I have all confidence in Crockston," said he; "he is a devoted servant, as you must know better

than I do, Miss Jenny. You must make yourself quite at ease; believe me, in three days you will be folded in

"Ah! Mr. James," cried the young girl, "how can I ever repay you for such devotion? How shall we

Jenny raised her tearful face to him for a moment, then her eyelids drooped, and she went back to

James Playfair hoped that the young girl would know nothing of her father's terrible situation until

he was in safety, but she was apprised of the truth by the involuntary indiscretion of a sailor.

The reply from the Richmond cabinet had arrived by a courier who had been able to pass the line

of outposts; the reply contained Jonathan Halliburtt's deathwarrant. The news of the approaching execution

was not long in spreading through the town, and it was brought on board by one of the sailors of the Dolphin;

the man told the Captain, without thinking that Miss Halliburtt was within hearing; the young girl uttered a

piercing cry, and fell unconscious on the deck. James Playfair carried her to her cabin, but the most assiduous

When she opened her eyes again, she saw the young Captain, who, with a finger on his lips,

enjoined absolute silence. With difficulty she repressed the outburst of her grief, and James Playfair, leaning

"Jenny, in two hours your father will be in safety near you, or I shall have perished in

Then he left the cabin, saying to himself, "And now he must be carried off at any price, since I

The hour for action had arrived, the loading of the cotton cargo had been finished since morning;

James Playfair had left the North Commercial Wharf and gone into the roadstead, so that he was

ready to make use of the tide, which would be high at nine o'clock in the evening.

It was seven o'clock when James left the young girl, and began to make preparations for departure.

Until the present time the secret had been strictly kept between himself, Crockston, and Jenny; but now he

thought it wise to inform Mr. Mathew of the situation of affairs, and he did so immediately.

"Very well, sir," replied Mr. Mathew, without making the least remark, "and nine o'clock is the

"The Dolphin may remain at anchor; we will cut our moorings and sheer off, without losing a

"Have a lantern placed at the mainmasthead; the night is dark, and will be foggy; we must not

risk losing our way in returning. You had better have the bell for starting rung at nine o'clock."

"And now, Mr. Mathew, have a shoreboat manned with six of our best men. I am going to set out

directly for White Point. I leave Miss Jenny in your charge, and may God protect us!"

Then he immediately gave the necessary orders for the fires to be lighted, and the shoreboat

provided with men. In a few minutes the boat was ready, and James Playfair, after bidding Jenny goodbye,

stepped into it, whilst at the same time he saw volumes of black smoke issuing from the chimneys of the ship,

The darkness was profound; the wind had fallen, and in the perfect silence the waters seemed to

slumber in the immense harbour, whilst a few uncertain lights glimmered through the mist. James Playfair

had taken his place at the rudder, and with a steady hand he guided his boat towards White Point. It was a

distance of about two miles; during the day James had taken his bearings perfectly, so that he was able to

Eight o'clock struck from the church of St. Philip when the shoreboat ran aground at White Point.

There was an hour to wait before the exact time fixed by Crockston; the quay was deserted, with

the exception of the sentinel pacing to and fro on the south and east batteries. James Playfair grew impatient,

At halfpast eight he heard the sound of approaching steps; he left his men with their oars clear

and ready to start, and went himself to see who it was; but he had not gone ten feet when he met a band of

coastguards, in all about twenty men. James drew his revolver from his waist, deciding to make use of it, if

needs be; but what could he do against these soldiers, who were coming on to the quay?

"One of my sailors is locked up in the citadel, and, to tell the truth, I had almost forgotten him;

"He might as well be hung here as there," said the coastguard, laughing at his joke.

"So I think," said James Playfair, "but it is better to have the thing done in the regular way."

"Not much chance of that, Captain, when you have to face the Morris Island batteries."

At this moment nine o'clock struck; it was the appointed moment. James felt his heart beat

violently; a whistle was heard; he replied to it, then he waited, listening, with his hand up to enjoin perfect

silence on the sailors. A man appeared enveloped in a large cloak, and looking from one side to another.

"God be praised!" cried James Playfair. "Embark without losing a minute. Where is Crockston?"

"The man who came with me was the gaoler from the citadel," replied Mr. Halliburtt.

"Quite right, the gaoler," cried a wellknown voice. "The gaoler is sleeping like a top in my cell."

"No time to talk now, master; we will explain everything to you afterwards. It is a question of life

Immediately the six oars dipped into the water; the boat darted like a fish through the waters of

THE boat, pulled by six robust oarsmen, flew over the water. The fog was growing dense, and it

was with difficulty that James Playfair succeeded in keeping to the line of his bearings. Crockston sat at the

bows, and Mr. Halliburtt at the stern, next the Captain. The prisoner, only now informed of the presence of

However, a few minutes later, when they were in the middle of the harbour, Crockston determined

"Yes, my dear master," said he, "the gaoler is in my place in the cell, where I gave him two smart

blows, one on the head and the other on the stomach, to act as a sleeping draught, and this when he was

bringing me my supper; there is gratitude for you. I took his clothes and his keys, found you, and let you out

The boat flew through the darkness, but James Playfair was obliged to steer rather by guess, as the

lanterns of the Dolphin were no longer visible through the fog. He was undecided what direction to follow,

and the darkness was so great that the rowers could not even see to the end of their oars.

"We must have made more than a mile and a half," replied the Captain. "You don't see anything,

"Nothing; nevertheless, I have good eyes; but we shall get there all right. They don't suspect

These words were hardly finished when the flash of a gun gleamed for an instant through the

A second, then a third shot was fired in the direction of the first, and almost the same signal was

"That is from Fort Sumter," cried Crockston, "and it is the signal of escape. Urge on the men;

"Pull for your lives, my men!" cried James Playfair, urging on the sailors, "those gunshots cleared

my route. The Dolphin is eight hundred yards ahead of us. Stop! I hear the bell on board. Hurrah, there it is

The boat skimmed over the waves under the sailors' powerful oars. A cannon boomed in the

The bell on the Dolphin was ringing loudly. A few more strokes and the boat was alongside. A few

A few minutes later the two screws carried the steamer towards the principal channel, away from

"Mr. Mathew," said James, "we must not think of taking the Sullivan Island channel; we should

run directly under the Confederate guns. Let us go as near as possible to the right side of the harbour out of

"Have the lanterns and the fires on deck extinguished; there is a great deal too much light, but we

During this conversation the Dolphin was going at a great speed; but in altering her course to keep

to the right side of the Charleston Harbour she was obliged to enter a channel which took her for a moment

near Fort Sumter; and when scarcely half a mile off all the guns bearing on her were discharged at the same

time, and a shower of shot and shell passed in front of the Dolphin with a thundering report.

"Too soon, stupids," cried James Playfair, with a burst of laughter. "Make haste, make haste, Mr.

The stokers fed the furnaces, and the Dolphin trembled all over with the effort of the engine as if

At this moment a second report was heard, and another shower of balls whizzed behind the

Then Crockston, who was standing on the poop, cried, "That's one passed. A few minutes more,

"Nothing at all, but everything from Fort Moultrie, at the end of Sullivan Island; but they will only

get a chance at us for half a minute, and then they must choose their time well, and shoot straight if they want

"Right; the position of Fort Moultrie will allow us to go straight for the principal channel. Fire

At the same moment, and as if in obedience to James Playfair, the fort was illuminated by a triple

line of lightning. A frightful crash was heard; then a crackling sound on board the steamer.

"Mr. Mathew!" cried the Captain to his second, who was stationed at the bows, "what has been

"Well, then, the masts may go to Jericho. Straight into the pass! Straight! and steer towards the

"We have passed the Rebs!" cried Crockston; "and, if we must have balls in our hull, I would

In fact, the Dolphin could not yet consider herself out of danger; for, if Morris Island was not

fortified with the formidable pieces of artillery which were placed there a few months later, nevertheless its

The alarm had been given to the Federals on the island, and to the blockading squadron, by the

firing from Forts Sumter and Moultrie. The besiegers could not make out the reason of this night attack; it did

not seem to be directed against them. However, they were obliged to consider it so, and were ready to reply.

It occupied James Playfair's thoughts whilst making towards the passes of Morris Island; and he

had reason to fear, for in a quarter of an hour's time lights gleamed rapidly through the darkness. A shower of

small shell fell round the steamer, scattering the water over her bulwarks; some of them even struck the deck

of the Dolphin, but not on their points, which saved the ship from certain ruin. In fact, these shell, as it was

afterwards discovered, could break into a hundred fragments, and each cover a superficial area of a hundred

and twenty square feet with Greek fire, which would burn for twenty minutes, and nothing could extinguish

it. One of these shell alone could set a ship on fire. Fortunately for the Dolphin, they were a new invention,

and as yet far from perfect. Once thrown into the air, a false rotary movement kept them inclined, and, when

falling, instead of striking on their points, where is the percussion apparatus, they fell flat. This defect in

construction alone saved the Dolphin. The falling of these shells did her little harm, and under the pressure of

At this moment, and in spite of his orders, Mr. Halliburtt and his daughter went to James Playfair

on the poop; the latter urged them to return to their cabins, but Jenny declared that she would remain by the

Captain. As for Mr. Halliburtt, who had just learnt all the noble conduct of his deliverer, he pressed his hand

The Dolphin was speeding rapidly towards the open sea. There were only three miles more before

she would be in the waters of the Atlantic; if the pass was free at its entrance, she was saved. James Playfair

was wonderfully well acquainted with all the secrets of Charleston Bay, and he guided his ship through the

darkness with an unerring hand. He was beginning to think his daring enterprise successful, when a sailor on

The fog had cleared off, and a large frigate was seen making towards the pass, in order to obstruct

the passage of the Dolphin. It was necessary, cost what it might, to distance her, and urge the steamengine

Then he sprang on to the bridge above the engine. By his orders one of the screws was stopped,

and under the action of the other the Dolphin, veering with an extraordinary rapidity, avoided running foul of

the frigate, and advanced like her to the entrance of the pass. It was now a question of speed.

James Playfair understood that in this lay his own safety, Miss Jenny's, her father's, and that of all

The frigate was considerably in advance of the Dolphin. It was evident from the volumes of black

smoke issuing from her chimneys that she was getting up her steam. James Playfair was not the man to be left

"At the maximum speed," replied the latter; "the steam is escaping by all the valves."

The Dolphin again increased her speed; the pistons worked with frightful rapidity; the metal plates

on which the engine was placed trembled under the terrific force of their blows. It was a sight to make the

"Impossible!" replied the engineer. "The valves are tightly closed; our furnaces are full up to the

"What difference! Fill them with cotton soaked in spirits; we must pass that frigate at any price."

At these words the most daring of the sailors looked at each other, but did not hesitate. Some bales

of cotton were thrown into the engineroom, a barrel of spirits broached over them, and this expensive fuel

placed, not without danger, in the redhot furnaces. The stokers could no longer hear each other speak for the

roaring of the flames. Soon the metal plates of the furnaces became redhot; the pistons worked like the

pistons of a locomotive; the steamgauge showed a frightful tension; the steamer flew over the water; her

boards creaked, and her chimneys threw out volumes of smoke mingled with flames. She was going at a

headlong speed, but, nevertheless, she was gaining on the frigate passed her, distanced her, and in ten

Already the Charleston beacon was disappearing in the southwest; the sound of firing from the

batteries grew fainter, and it might with reason be thought that the danger was all past, when a shell from a

gunboat cruising at large was hurled whizzing through the air. It was easy to trace its course, thanks to the

Then was a moment of anxiety impossible to describe; every one was silent, and each watched

fearfully the arch described by the projectile. Nothing could be done to escape it, and in a few seconds it fell

The terrified sailors crowded to the stern, and no one dared move a step, whilst the shell was

But one brave man alone among them ran up to the formidable weapon of destruction. It was

Crockston; he took the shell in his strong arms, whilst showers of sparks were falling from it; then, with a

Hardly had the shell reached the surface of the water when it burst with a frightful report.

"Hurrah! hurrah!" cried the whole crew of the Dolphin unanimously, whilst Crockston rubbed his

Some time later the steamer sped rapidly through the waters of the Atlantic; the American coast

disappeared in the darkness, and the distant lights which shot across the horizon indicated that the attack was

general between the batteries of Morris Island and the forts of Charleston Harbour.

THE next day at sunrise the American coast had disappeared; not a ship was visible on the horizon,

and the Dolphin, moderating the frightful rapidity of her speed, made quietly towards the Bermudas.

It is useless to recount the passage across the Atlantic, which was marked by no accidents, and ten

What passed between the Captain and the young girl may be imagined, even by the least observant

individuals. How could Mr. Halliburtt acknowledge the devotion and courage of his deliverer, if it was not by

making him the happiest of men? James Playfair did not wait for English seas to declare to the father and

daughter the sentiments which overflowed his heart, and, if Crockston is to be believed, Miss Jenny received

Thus it happened that on the 14th of February, 18 , a numerous crowd was collected in the dim

aisles of St. Mungo, the old cathedral of Glasgow. There were seamen, merchants, manufacturers,

magistrates, and some of every denomination gathered here. There was Miss Jenny in bridal array and beside

her the worthy Crockston, resplendent in applegreen clothes, with gold buttons, whilst Uncle Vincent stood

In short, they were celebrating the marriage of James Playfair, of the firm of Vincent Playfair Co.,

The ceremony was accomplished amidst great pomp. Everyone knew the history of the Dolphin,

and everyone thought the young Captain well recompensed for his devotion. He alone said that his reward

In the evening there was a grand ball and banquet at Uncle Vincent's house, with a large

distribution of shillings to the crowd collected in Gordon Street. Crockston did ample justice to this

Everyone was happy at this wedding; some at their own happiness, and others at the happiness

Late in the evening, when the guests had retired, James Playfair took his uncle's hand.

"Are you pleased with the charming cargo I brought you on board the Dolphin?" continued

"I am quite satisfied," replied the worthy merchant; "I have sold my cotton at three hundred and