o so?"

"I am, sir."

"You are discharged from confinement then, and will at once return to
your duty," replied Mr. Lowington, upon whom Shuffles did not venture to
intrude his extremely penitential story. "To which watch do you belong?"

"To the port watch, first part, sir."

"It will be on deck during the first half of the mid watch, from twelve
till two," added the principal, as he came out of the brig.

Mr. Lowington made no parade of what he had done. He never subjected any
student to unnecessary humiliation. He indulged in no reproaches, and
preached no sermons. He went on deck, intending to leave the culprit to
the influence of the better thoughts which he hoped and believed had
been kindled in his mind by the events of the day. Mr. Agneau remained a
moment to give a final admonition to the penitent, as he regarded him,
and then went to his cabin.

"Are you going to turn in, Shuffles?" asked Wilton.

"Not yet. Are there any of our fellows below?"

"Plenty of them."

"Our fellows" was a term applied to that portion of the crew who were
understood to be ready for any scrape which might be suggested. Shuffles
had coined the expression himself, while at the Brockway Academy, and
introduced it on board the ship. Without concealment or palliation, they
were bad boys. By the discipline of the ship they were kept in good
order, and compelled to perform their duties.

As in every community of men or boys, where persons of kindred tastes
find each other out, the bad boys in the Young America had discovered
those of like tendencies, and a bond of sympathy and association had
been established among them. They knew and were known of each other.

On the other hand, it is equally true, that there was a bond of sympathy
and association among the good boys, as there is among good men. If a
good man wishes to establish a daily prayer meeting, he does not apply
to the intemperate, the profane swearers, and the Sabbath breakers of
his neighborhood for help; there is a magnetism among men which leads
him to the right persons. If a bad man intends to get up a mob, a
raffle, or a carousal, he does not seek assistance among those who go to
church every Sunday, and refrain from evil practices, either from
principle or policy. He makes no mistakes of this kind.

In every community, perhaps one fourth of the whole number are
positively good, and one fourth positively bad, while the remaining two
fourths are more or less good