at Mr. Lowington was engaged
in an earnest conversation with Dr. Winstock, he did not interrupt him,
but paused in the waist. Of course the conspirators suspended
operations, and Paul spent the time he was waiting in conversation with
them about the wonders of Holland. As he stood there, Mr. Hamblin cast
frequent glances at him, and brooded heavily over the indignities which
had been heaped upon his learned head by the young commander, as he
believed. Probably the current of his thoughts would have assumed a
different direction if he had been aware that the principal and the
surgeon were discussing the best means of "letting him down easily."

Mr. Lowington at last discovered that Paul was waiting for him, and the
difficult subject was deferred. The captain of the Josephine went below
with the principal, and the conspirators began to discuss in a very
unguarded manner the process of keelhauling the obnoxious professor. As
the learned gentleman passed the group, he could not help hearing his
name mentioned. The boys soon became very earnest in their manner. They
had seated themselves under the lee of the hatch, and did not appear to
notice the fact that Mr. Hamblin was passing on the other side of it at
intervals.

"We'll keelhaul him," said Wilson; and the _savant_ distinctly heard the
remark, though he did not know what it meant; only that it was some
trick to be played off upon him.

"If he didn't hear that, he's deaf as a post," added Perth, as the
professor passed on.

"He'll leave the ship as soon as we have keelhauled him," was the next
remark which Mr. Hamblin heard.

Of course this meant himself; and he paused when he had satisfied
himself that he was not observed. As this was just what the conspirators
wanted, they revealed their wicked scheme fully, though with some
appearance of concealment.

"Here are the names of all the fellows who are to take part in the
operation," said Perth, flourishing the paper. "The fellows with a cross
against their names are to throw the old fellow down; those with a dash
are to man the reef-pendants; those with a wave line are to make fast to
him--"

That was all. Mr. Hamblin made a plunge into the midst of the young
rascals, and snatched the paper from the hands of the leader. The
conspirators sprung to their feet, and nothing could exceed the
consternation depicted upon their faces. They stood aghast, horrified,
confounded.

"It was only a joke, sir," stammered Perth