"Hold on!" cried Ridge, springing forward. "I am going with you."
"Why aren't you aboard, then?" asked the mate, with a grin, as his men gave another shove that launched the boat into deep water.
Leaping into the sea, Ridge barely succeeded in clutching a gunwale and pulling himself aboard, amid chuckles of laughter from the crew. His ducking had not improved his personal appearance, and as he now sat in the bow of the boat dripping water from every point, he formed an object for so much rude wit and coarse merriment, that upon reaching the transport he was furious with pent-up wrath.
On gaining the deck of the ship he hurried forward, and found her Captain smoking an after-breakfast cigar in his comfortably appointed cabin.
"Well, sir, who are you? and what do you want?" demanded this individual, as Ridge presented himself at the door.
"I am an army officer bearing a message of the utmost importance from General Sumner to Admiral Sampson; and as this is the only steam-vessel in the harbor, I have come to ask that you will carry me to the flag-ship."
"If you haven't got cheek!" ejaculated the Captain. "So you are an army officer, are you?"
"That is what I said."
"You don't look it. Are you the Quartermaster-General?"
"Certainly not."