"All right, little one! Have them hauled over by all means," said
Christy, as the men made fast to the other schooner, and cast off the
fasts.
But it was soon evident that the sleepy soldiers had been roused from
their slumbers by some other agency than the orderly, though it was not
quite possible for them to haul over the four guns, as they happened
to be on the forward deck of the Havana. But the men were armed with
muskets, and were capable of doing a great deal of mischief with them.
Christy hurried up the men at the fasts, but they had about finished
their task.
"All clear, Mr. Passford," called Mr. Flint, as the soldiers
double-quicked across the railroad to the wharf, upon which there was
still a huge pile of bales of cotton.
"Back her, Mr. Amblen," said Christy, as he hastened aft to avoid a
collision with the other schooner.
But the tide had begun to recede, and had carried the first vessel to a
safe distance from the wharf.
The soldiers reached the edge of the wharf, and were probably under the
command of the orderly by this time. At any rate they marched farther
down the pier, where they could be nearer to the Havana as she backed
away.
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