t would break
him. He would be degraded to the steerage," replied Monroe, who could
not help thinking that Wilton was beside himself in proposing such a
thing, and that the enterprise was doomed to failure in such incompetent
hands.

"If he won't join us, perhaps he will help us off. He is officer of the
deck, you know, in the second dog watch."

"I know he is; but don't you open your mouth to him. If you do, I'll
back out at once."

"Back out?"

"Yes, back out. I believe you are crazy. Why don't you go to Captain
Carnes, and done with it?" said Monroe, with energy.

"I haven't any hold on Carnes, and I have on Shuffles."

"What do you mean?" asked the prudent conspirator, curiously.

"If Shuffles won't join us, he won't blow on us, you may depend upon
that. He wouldn't dare to do it. I could break him before sundown, if I
chose," said Wilton, with conscious power.

"That alters the case."

"Of course, I shouldn't think of saying anything to him, if I did not
know what I was talking about. I have him where the hair is short, and
he knows it, as well as I do."

"What is it, Wilton?"

"No matter what it is. When a thing is told me in confidence, I keep it
to myself; but if he turns traitor to his cronies, he must look out for
breakers. He knows what it is."

"Well, if you can get him, he will be a first-rate fellow to have."

"I think I can get him. Here he comes; you keep out of the way, and I
will see how deep the water is."

Monroe went forward to find a student to whom he had been deputed to
speak in the interest of the enterprise leaving Wilton to grapple with
the old lion of mischief, whose teeth, however, seemed to have been worn
out in the cause.

"What's up, Wilton?" demanded the third lieutenant who was now off duty,
and therefore allowed to speak to the crew, though it was a privilege of
which the officers seldom availed themselves.

"Who said anything was up?" asked Wilton.

"You look as though you meant something. What were you and Ike Monroe
talking about just now?" continued Shuffles. "About me, I'll be bound,
for you kept looking at me, as though you meant something."

"What makes you think so? Have you heard anything?" asked Wilton,
fearful that the plot had leaked out.

"Not a word? I only judged by your looks."

"I suppose if anything was up, you wouldn't have anything to do with it
now."

"Most decidedly, I should not. I like my present position too well to
fall out of it.