, as the professor, with
trembling hands and quivering lips, gazed at the paper, reading the
names, and noting the signs against them.

"You villains, you!" gasped he. "Keelhaul me--will you?"

"It was only in fun, sir. We didn't mean to do it, sir," added Wilton.

Mr. Hamblin did not wait to hear any more. He rushed aft, rushed down
the companion-way, rushed into the main cabin, where the principal was
just dismissing Paul.

"They are going to keelhaul me, next, Mr. Lowington!" exclaimed the
learned gentleman, savagely.

"Pray, what is the trouble, Mr. Hamblin?" asked the principal, mildly.

The professor explained, exhibiting the list of names in evidence of his
assertion. Mr. Lowington was sceptical. It was not possible that the
boys could entertain such a monstrous proposition as that of keelhauling
a learned professor.

"But I heard the plan myself, sir," persisted Mr. Hamblin. "I don't know
what keelhauling is, but that is the expression the scoundrels used."

Mr. Lowington explained what it meant; and the _savant_, without
considering the practicability or the possibility of subjecting him to
such an operation, was filled with rage and horror. The principal went
on deck, and from the paper taken from Perth called the roll of the
conspirators, summoning them to the mainmast.

"If you have no further instructions for me, sir, I will return to the
Josephine," said Paul, touching his cap to the principal.

"Mr. Lowington, Kendall is concerned in this affair," interposed the
professor, violently.

"I, sir!" exclaimed Paul, confounded by the charge.

"He is, sir; and I can prove it," protested Mr. Hamblin, whose wrath had
almost reached the boiling point.

"You can return to the Josephine, Captain Kendall," added Mr. Lowington,
in his quiet, decisive tone.

"Mr. Lowington, I protest--"

"Mr. Hamblin," interposed the principal, sharply, "I will thank you to
accompany me to the cabin;" and, turning, he walked to the
companion-way, followed by the professor.

"I wish to say, Mr. Lowington, that I am not mistaken in regard to
Kendall," said the angry instructor, as they entered the main cabin.

"Without a doubt,you are mistaken, sir."

"No, sir; I am not. When he came on deck, he went immediately to that
group of bad boys who were plotting to keelhaul me, and had a long
conversation with them. I watched him, sir. My eye was hardly off him a
moment. I was looking for something of this kind."

"And yo