The officers’ quarters were all below decks; and, although it was then the middle of winter, Frank found it rather uncomfortable in his bunk.

During the two weeks that elapsed before the ship was ready to sail, the time was employed in getting every thing in order—­in drilling at the great guns, and with muskets and broad-swords.

Most of the crew were old seamen, who understood their duty; and by the time their sailing orders came, every thing moved like clock-work.

In the mean time Frank had been assigned his station, which—­being the youngest officer on board the ship—­was to command the magazine.  He learned very rapidly, and, as he was always attentive to his duties, he grew in favor with both officers and men.

At length, one afternoon, the anchor was weighed, and the Ticonderoga steamed down the river.  Her orders were to report to the Admiral, who had sailed from Cairo about a week previous.  They found him at Arkansas Post, where they arrived too late to take part in the fight.  In a few days a station was assigned to her in the Mississippi River; and the Ticonderoga immediately set sail, in obedience to orders.

CHAPTER VIII.

The Struggle Between the Lines.

One day, about two weeks after they came out of Arkansas River, the Ticonderoga stopped at Smith’s Landing to take on wood, as her supply of coal had run short.  The vessel was made fast to the bank, and, while the seamen were bringing in the wood, the paymaster’s steward called Frank’s attention to some cattle which were feeding on the bank, and remarked:  “I wish we could go out and shoot one of them.”  “So do I,” said Frank; “I’ve eaten salt pork until I am tired of it.  Let’s go and ask the captain.”

“I’m agreed,” said the steward.

The captain was walking on deck at the time and his permission was readily obtained, for he himself had grown tired of ship’s pork; Frank, accompanied by the steward, and a seaman who was an expert butcher, started out.  They were armed with muskets, and, as they were all good shots, and did not wish to kill more than enough to feed the ship’s company once, they took with them no ammunition besides what was in the guns.  At the place where the Ticonderoga was lying, the levee—­an embankment about six feet high, built to prevent the water from overflowing—­ran back into the woods about half a mile, then, making a bend like a horse-shoe, came back to the river again, inclosing perhaps a dozen acres of low, swampy land; and it was in this swamp that the cattle were.  They proved to be very wild; but, after a considerable run, Frank succeeded in bringing down one, and the steward and seaman finally killed another.  The question now was, how to get the meat on board the vessel.  While they were debating on the matter, they were startled by the clatter of horses’ hoofs on the levee; and, instead of drawing back into the bushes, out of sight, they very imprudently waited to see who the horsemen were.  Presently, a party of guerrillas, to their utter amazement—­for they had not dreamed that the rebels were so near them—­galloped up.