o
brought with them large trays loaded with something good to eat and
drink--bread and butter, cold meat, and pitchers filled to the brim with
the richest of milk. While the hungry gunboat men were regaling
themselves and wondering at such treatment from Southerners, all of whom
they supposed to be the most implacable and violent of rebels, Mrs. Gray
shook out the folds of the flag, and spread it upon the wall where they
could all see it. The unexpected sight thrilled them, and every cap was
lifted.

"If things wasn't just as they are, missus," said one, "we'd give it a
cheer; asking your pardon and the deck's for speaking when I wasn't
spoke to."

"But our guns will cheer it in the morning, and they will make more
noise than we could," observed another. "Likewise asking pardon for
speaking."

At this moment Marcy appeared, bundled up ready for his trip to the
coast, and carrying in his hand a valise, which contained, among other
things, the box that held Captain Benton's money. It was all in gold,
too; for at that time gold was as plenty as scrip in the Confederacy,
and Captain Beardsley, ignorant as he was on some points, was much too
shrewd a man of business to take paper money when he could have what he
called the "hard stuff" for the asking. Had the _Hollins_ been captured
one short year later, Marcy would have been obliged to take his share of
the prize money in scrip, and Captain Benton might have thought himself
lucky if he had received twenty cents on the dollar.

When the blue-jackets had disposed of everything there was on the trays,
either by eating it themselves or putting it into the bosom of their
shirts, to be divided with the guards who had been left in charge of the
boats, and Marcy had stowed his Union flag in his valise, there was
nothing to detain them longer. The master's mate marched the squad away
while Mr. Watkins lingered a moment, cap in hand, to say good-by to the
woman whose quiet courage had excited his admiration.

"Take good care of my boy, sir," said Mrs. Gray, as if she thought the
officer could give Marcy a safe station in action, or protect him from
the shot and shell that would soon be shrieking about his ears.
"Remember he is all I have to give you."

"I'll have an eye upon him, madam, and upon your other boy as well, when
I find out where he is," replied Mr. Watkins. "We are not pressing men
into our service, and I know I can safely say that Marcy will be
permitted to retur