"Mr. Vapoor? But we cannot spare him from the engine room for a minute," protested the commander, who was well aware that the chief engineer was the lieutenant's especial crony. "That would not do at all."
"I was not thinking of Mr. Vapoor, sir," interposed Christy.
"Who, then?" demanded the commander, lowering his spy-glass to look into the young man's face.
"My associate in the expedition to Mobile Point, who did quite as much as I did, if not more, to make it a success. I mean Mr. Graines, the third assistant engineer. I know that he is a brave man and an officer of excellent judgment," replied the lieutenant, with more enthusiasm than he usually manifested when not in actual combat.
"Very well, Mr. Passford; I give you the order to carry out your plan, and I hope it will work to your satisfaction. But you must not take more than twenty men," said the commander in conclusion of the whole matter.
"Mr. Walbrook," called Christy without losing a moment in the preparations for carrying out his scheme, which neither the captain nor himself could say was an original idea.
The station of the second lieutenant at quarters is on the forecastle, and of the third in the waist, or the middle of the ship. The third lieutenant stepped forward at the call of the executive officer, touched his cap, for "the honors due the quarter-deck cannot be dispensed with," even at exciting times.
Christy gave him the order to cast loose the launch, and have it in readiness to lower into the water at a moment's notice; and Mr. Walbrook proceeded to obey it without delay. The first lieutenant then called Mr. Walters, a midshipman, and directed him to give his compliments to Mr. Vapoor, and ask him if he could spare the third assistant engineer for special duty for a couple of hours, more or less.
The messenger returned with the reply that the chief engineer would be happy to detail Mr. Graines for special duty at once. In five minutes more the assistant engineer appeared upon the quarter-deck in uniform, and touched his cap to the executive officer.
"I am directed to report to you, Mr. Passford, for special duty," added Graines.