"How does Mr. Pillgrim appear?" asked the captain.
"I haven't seen him, sir; I was very careful not to let him see me. Mr. Swayne, the first lieutenant of the Ben Lomond, after I had disposed of Langdon, managed him for me."
"It's a very amusing as well as a very exciting affair. But we must see these officers. Where are they?"
"Under guard in the state-rooms of the prize, sir."
"Bring them on board, if you please, Mr. Somers. Get your breakfast first."
Somers went to the ward-room, where he breakfasted with the officers off duty. He was cordially congratulated upon his success, though perhaps some of the mess regarded him as rather exclusive in permitting none of them to share his laurels.
After breakfast the first cutter was cleared away, and Somers pulled to the prize in her. The Ben Lomond was temporarily in charge of the second lieutenant of the Chatauqua, who had secured the prisoners, and put everything in order on board. Somers went at once to the ward-room, where the two most important prisoners were confined. There were now at each door a couple of marines with loaded muskets, but no communication had been had with the solitary occupant of either.
Pillgrim had several times attempted to obtain some information in regard to what was going on, but he was still in darkness. Even the bull's eye in his room could not have enlightened him, for it was on the starboard side of the steamer, while the Chatauqua lay on the port side.
Somers ordered the marines to open the door of Langdon's room first, and the late first lieutenant of the Tallapoosa came forth.
"Lieutenant Wynkoop, I believe," said Somers, facetiously.
"Have you any more old sherry that has made two voyages to India?"
"This is hardly magnanimous, Mr. Somers," said Langdon, coldly.
"Perhaps not; but when officers stoop to such tricks as those you have practised, there can be no great harm in mentioning them."
"Mr. Somers, I find myself somewhat bewildered."
"I dare say," laughed Somers. "Very likely your friend Pillgrim, or Coles, is in the same situation."
"I have not seen him since he left Philadelphia in the Chatauqua."
"I had a letter from him, dated at Richmond, saying that he had changed his plans."
"Changed them--did he?" said Somers, who had changed them for him. "Perhaps you will inform me how you happened to be on board this vessel."