"I remember it."

"The offence which that boy committed was against me personally. As he
explained the case to me, and made a very humble apology, I was willing
to forgive him. I intimated to the officer of the deck that he need not
report the matter to the captain; but it was reported to the captain,
and when I went on deck, after breakfast, I found the students had been
assembled. Mr. Kendall addressed them, with which I had no fault to
find. But you can judge of my astonishment when he called up McDougal,
and ordered a boat to convey him on board of the ship, thus subjecting
him to the severest punishment known to the students of the Josephine.

"I deemed it my duty to interfere, which I did in the most civil manner.
I respectfully protested against the action of the captain. I say I
deemed it my duty to interfere."

Mr. Hamblin paused, and looked at the principal. He wished him to say
that he also deemed it his duty to interfere; but Mr. Lowington did not
say that, or anything else, and waited till the professor was ready to
proceed.

"I remonstrated with Mr, Kendall, and he saw fit to disregard my
protest. I demanded that his order should be rescinded; but he was
haughty and impudent in his manner. He told me that the boy should be
sent to the ship. He appeared to be utterly wanting in judgment, though,
up to this time, I had remonstrated only in the mildest terms. He
informed me, in the most offensive manner, that he was the captain of
the vessel."

At this point Mr. Lowington bit his lips, to repress a smile which was
involuntarily manifesting itself on his face.

"Finally, sir, he sent for the boatswain and carpenter, and threatened
to have me conveyed to the ship in irons. It was not enough to say he
would send me to the ship, but he would send me in irons! Did ever a boy
speak to a man like that before? In college, academy, and school, I have
always been master; but here I find myself subject to the will of a
stripling of sixteen or seventeen!"

Mr. Hamblin finished his narrative, set his teeth tight together, and
threw himself back in his seat to await the decision of the principal.

"Captain Kendall, I will hear your version of this affair," said Mr.
Lowington, mildly.

The professor made a movement as if to spring to his feet. The
proceedings seemed to be very irregular. He wanted the decision made
upon his statement; and it appeared like an insult to him to ask a
student for his version of th