I'm going to be captain next term, if I can fetch it any
way in the world."

"You mean to be a flunky, just like the rest of them. You are not the
same fellow you used to be."

"Yes, I am."

"You are getting too big for your boots."

"You wrong me, Wilton. I'm just as good a fellow as I ever was. I think
I'm the best fellow in the ship, and for that reason I want to be
captain. I'm ahead of Carnes so far on marks this month."

"Well, if you want to be the head flunky, I hope you'll get it. We are
not going ashore to-morrow, they say," added Wilton, changing the topic
to get nearer to the business of the hour.

"So Pelham told me."

"Are you willing to stay on board and study, and do ship's duty, on the
Fourth of July?"

"We are going to celebrate."

"How?"

"I'm sure I don't know."

"We shall celebrate to-morrow just as we do every day--as close
prisoners on board the ship. I, for one, don't like it, and I won't
stand it."

"Won't you?" laughed Shuffles.

"When I say I won't, I mean so."

"O, you do--do you?"

"You better believe I do," added Wilton, shaking his head resolutely.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going ashore, by hook or by crook."

"Better not get into any scrape."

"You say that as one of the flunkies."

"Well, you had better not say anything to me, for I shall have to do my
duty as an officer. Don't say anything to me, and then I shall not know
anything about it."

"Humph!" sneered Wilton, not pleased with this non-committal policy.

"I don't want to do anything mean with any of our fellows; so don't say
a word to me. I shall do my duty as an officer, as I promised to do when
I was made third lieutenant."

"Do you mean to say you will stop me, Shuffles, if you see me going?"
demanded Wilton.

"I do mean so; I promised faithfully to do my duty as an officer, and I
shall do it."

"See here, Bob Shuffles; you needn't talk to me in that manner. I knew
the ship's cable from a pint of milk, and you can't come the flunky over
me."

"I'm going to do just as you would do if you were in my place. I won't
hear a word about any of your plans."

"But will you interfere with them?"

"If it is my duty to do so, I shall. I intend to obey orders; and if I
have the deck, I shall keep things straight, whatever happens."

"Lowington don't know you as well as I do."

"No matter if he don't; he shall have no fault to find with me this
term, if I can help it."

"It's no use for