"Only two schooners, sir," replied the man very respectfully.
"Are they loaded, --what is your name?" asked the engineer.
"My name is Dolly, sir."
"Dolly? That is a girl's name."
"My whole name is Adolphus, sir; but everybody calls me Dolly, and
I can't help myself," replied the oiler soberly, as though he had a
real grievance on account of the femininity of his nickname. "The two
schooners are not quite loaded, sir, but they are very nearly full. They
had some trouble here, among the hands."
"Had some trouble, did they? I should think there were soldiers enough
here to keep everything straight. How many artillerists or soldiers do
they keep here?" added Christy.
"They had about forty, but they don't have half that number now."
"What has become of them?"
"They were sent away to look for the hands that took to the woods. One
of the officers and about half of the men were sent off yesterday,"
replied Dolly, who seemed willing to tell all he knew.
"Why did the men run off?" asked Christy curiously.
"They brought about fifty hands, all slaves, down here to load the
steamer and the schooners.
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