On The Blockade

tten before he handed it back to the owner. For a few moments, he said nothing, and had his atte

for one in his position," said h

, which he looked over with interest. "I had some talk with him on his tablet the

a deaf mute?"

d and his rapid writing that he was well educated. There is character in his han

n shipped as a seaman, or even as an or

e himself useful. Mr. Nawood engaged him on the recommendation of Mr. Lillyworth," added

r. Lillyworth any

ther. But Mulgrum wrote out for me that he was born in Cherryfield, Maine, and obtained his education as a deaf mute in Hartford. I lea

alk in that way

about the deaf and dumb alphabet, and coul

dd," added the

ication for that of actually speaking and understanding what was said by observing the vocal organs. He

he should not have learned ei

tensely patriotic, and said that he was willing to give himself and all his property for the salvation of his country. He had endeavored to obtain a position as captain's clerk, or something of that so

o had been ordered to the Gulf for duty, and was on board as a substitute for Mr. Flint, who was acting in Christy's place, as the latter was in that of Mr. Blowitt, who outranked them all. Flint had not been favorably impressed with the acting second lieutenant, and he had not hesitated to speak his mind in regard t

egard to their professional qualifications rather than their motives for entering the service. If a man desired to enter the army or the navy, the simple wish was regarded as a sufficient guaranty of his patriotism, especially in connection with his oath of allegiance. With the deaf mute's leaf in his hand Christy was th

as born, Mr. Flint?" asked the captai

enant; and he could not help feeling that the co

n, Flint: were you

for six months; and it was the last

ow. If this deaf mute was born and brought up in Cherryfield, he must know something about th

lgrum, Dave?" a

rd of him before,"

has been cleaning the brass work

ll call him," s

nkney Mulgrum,"

er had any long talks together," add

Mulgrum to come into m

t, he won't hear m

e first lieutenant, handing him a ca

d observe his expression. Then Flint began to write on a sheet of paper, and passed his first question to the man. It was: "Don't you remember me?" Mulgrum wrote that he did not. Then the inquisitor asked when he had left Cherryfield to attend the school at Hartford; and the date he gave placed him there at the very time when Flint had been the

wrote under it: "Tell him that we are perfectly satisfied with his replies, and thank him for his attendance;" wh

have remained there more than a day or two," said F

sture to impose silen

that if the subject of the examination had stopped at the keyhole of

in every respect," added the first lieutenant in the same loud tone. "Mulgrum is a well educated man, captain, and

hould hear him, if Mulgrum lingered there. "I have a number of letters sent over from England relating to blockade runners t

me hand, and no one could do

. He had no doubt that he could both speak and hear as well as the rest of the ship's company. But the puzzling question was in relation to the reason why he pretended to be deaf and dumb. If he was desirous of serving his country in the navy, and especially in the Bronx, it was not necessary to pretend to be deaf and dumb in order to obtain a fighting berth on bo

himself before him, "go on deck and ask Mr. Lil

sir," replied Dave, as he

disarm all the suspicions of the subject of the mystery, but he would have been glad to know whether or not the man had lingered at the door to hear what was said in regard

fteen knots and a half," reported Dave,

r to get a position on board of the Bronx. He is plainly a fraud," sa

t would ordinarily be enough to prevent him from getting it. I should put it that he had

ck, and the first lieu