t you had made a mistake. Do you
believe it yet?"

"I suppose I do, sir."

"You suppose you do! Don't you know?"

"Yes, sir, I think I did make a mistake," replied Wilton, who found it
very hard to acknowledge the fact.

"I do not refer to your punishment, when I allude to the consequences of
your misdeed, for that was very light. You have fallen very low in the
estimation of your superiors."

"Do you mean Mr. Shuffles, sir?"

"I did not mean the officers exclusively, though I believe they have a
proper respect for the discipline of the ship."

"I don't think Shuffles need to say anything."

"He hasn't said anything."

"He is worse than I am."

"Shuffles has done very well, and merits the approbation of the
principal and the instructors."

"They don't know him as well as I do," growled Wilton.

"They probably know him better. Your remarks do not exhibit a proper
spirit towards an officer. He defeated your plan to escape, but he did
no more than his duty. He would have been blamed, perhaps punished, if
he had done any less."

"I don't find any fault with him for doing his duty, but I don't like to
be snubbed by one who is worse than I am. If you knew what I know, sir,
you would turn him out of the after cabin."

"Then it is fortunate for him that I don't know what you know," replied
Mr. Lowington, sternly. "If you wish to injure him in my estimation, you
will not succeed."

"He is going to get up a mutiny one of these days. He told me all about
it," continued Wilton, desperately, when he found that the principal was
in no mood to listen to his backbiting.

"That will do, Wilton? I don't wish to hear anything more about that
matter. Your testimony against Shuffles, under present circumstances, is
not worth the breath you use in uttering it."

"I thought it was my duty to tell you, if any one was trying to get up a
mutiny."

"You did not think so; you are telling me this story to revenge yourself
against the third lieutenant for his fidelity. Whether there is, or is
not, any truth in what you say, I shall take no notice of it."

"It is all true, sir. He did speak to me about getting up a mutiny,
locking up the professors, taking the ship, and going round Cape Horn;
and he will not deny it."

"He will have no opportunity to deny it to me, for I shall not mention
the subject to him. Go to your duty, and remember that you have injured
yourself more than Shuffles by this course."

Wilton hung his h