He was rather a bright fellow, while
the others were somewhat heavy and stupid in their understanding. The
bottles were again handed to the guests, both of whom went through the
form of drinking without taking a drop of the vile stuff.
"What be you uns doin' here?" asked Bird Riley, after the ceremony with
the bottle had been finished.
"We was both tooken in a schooner that was gwine to run the blockade,"
answered Christy. "We was comin' out'n Pass Christian, and was picked
up off Chand'leer [Chandeleur] Island, and fotched over hyer. We didn't
feel too much to hum after we lost our wages, and we done took a
whaleboat and came ashore here, with only one bottle of whiskey atween
us. That's all there is on't. Now, how comes you uns hyer?"
"I'm the mate of the topsail schooner West Wind, and t'others is the
crew; all but two we done left on board with the cap'n," replied Bird,
apparently with abundant confidence in his newly found friends.
"You left her?" asked Christy.
"That's just what we done do."
"Where is the West Wind now?" inquired Christy, deeply interested in the
subject at this point.
"She done come down from Mobile three days ago, and done waited for a
chance to run the blockade. Her hole is full o' cotton, and she done got
a deck-load too," answered Bird Riley without any hesitation.
"Where does the West Wind keep herself now, Bird?"
"Just inside the p'int, astern of the Trafladagar.
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