As the train moved on towards the great city, he obtained the
command of his emotions, and felt a new inspiration of patriotic ardor.
On his arrival in New York he hastened across the ferry to the
navy-yard. As he approached the opposite shore, he discovered a steamer
getting under way. He had not seen the vessel on board of which he was
ordered to report as a passenger, but when he asked a deck hand what the
steamer was, he was informed that it was the Vernon. The ferry-boat had
just gone into the slip, and Christy was terribly startled to learn that
he was late. He was still two hours ahead of the time indicated in his
orders, and the Vernon was actually getting under way.
The young officer was more excited than he had ever been in the face of
the enemy, for the present looked like a case in which his honor was at
stake. He felt that it would be his ruin if the Vernon sailed without
him. There had been some mistake in his orders, or in those of the
commander of the store ship, and he was likely to be the sufferer for
it. He rushed to the stern end of the ferry-boat in order to obtain a
better view of the steamer; and at this moment he discovered a boat,
pulled by one man, headed towards the navy-yard.
"Boat, ahoy!" shouted Christy, with almost frantic earnestness.
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