"I reckon you ain't too drunk to un'erstan' what I say, Sam, as t'other
feller is."
"I'm jest drunk enough to un'erstan' yer, Cousin Bird; but I cal'late I
won't know much about it by to-morrer mornin'," added Graines.
"Let's take another round, Sam; but I reckon Tom Bulger's got more'n he
can kerry now," continued the mate.
Bird took a long draught from the bottle, and then passed it to his
guest. Three of the four revellers had already toppled over at full
length on the ground; and Christy thought he could hurry matters by
doing the same thing, and he tumbled over all in a heap. Graines drank
nothing himself, though he contrived to spill a quantity of the fluid on
the ground, so that it might not seem too light to his only remaining
wakeful companion. The last dram of Bird had been a very heavy one, and
the engineer realized that he could not hold out much longer.
"What's that tandem team fer?" asked Graines, in the thickest of tones,
while he swayed back and forth as Bird was doing by this time.
"The Trafladagar's gwine to tow the West Wind out; and both on 'em's
sure to be tooken," stammered the mate. "We uns don't bleeve in't, and
so we runned away, and left Captain Sullendine to paddle his own punt.
They get off at three in the morn in'."
Bird Riley took another drink, and then he toppled over.
CHAPTER V
IN THE VICINITY OF THE CONFEDERATE FORT
It was a favorable night for running the blockade, for the fog had
settled down more densely upon the region in the vicinity of the ship
channel, though it occasionally lifted, and permitted those on board of
the Bellevite to see the tall tower of the Sand Island Lighthouse, which
had not been illuminated for three years.
Pages:
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51