saw him git as red as a
turkey cock, an' bite his lips till the blood came. It's my opinion,
messmate," added McCoy, in a lower tone, "that if Cap'n Bligh don't
change his tone there'll be--"

"Come, come, mate," interrupted a voice behind him; "if you talk mutiny
like that you'll swing at the end o' the yard-arm some fine mornin'."

The sailor who joined the others and thus spoke was a short, sturdy
specimen of his class, and much more like a hearty hare-brained tar than
his two comrades. He was about twenty-two years of age, deeply pitted
with small-pox, and with a jovial carelessness of manner that had won
for him the sobriquet of Reckless Jack.

"I'm not the only one that talks mutiny in this ship," growled McCoy.
"There's a lot of us whose backs have bin made to smart, and whose grog
has been stopped for nothin' but spite, John Adams, and you know it."

"Yes, I do know it," returned Adams, sharply; "and I also know that
there's justice to be had in England. We've got a good case against the
Captain, so we'd better wait till we get home rather than take the law
into our own hands."

"I don't agree with you, Jack," said Quintal, with much decision, "and I
wonder to see you, of all men, show the white feather."

Adams turned away with a light laugh of contempt, and the other two
joined a group of their mates, who were talking in low tones near the
windlass.

Matthew Quintal was not the only man on board who did not agree with the
more moderate counsels of Reckless Jack, _alias_ John Adams, _alias_
John Smith, for by each of those names was he known. On the
quarter-deck as well as on the forecastle mutterings of deep indignation
were heard.

The vessel was the celebrated _Bounty_, which had been fitted up for the
express purpose of proceeding to the island of Otaheite, (now named
Tahiti), in the Pacific for plants of the breadfruit tree, it being
thought desirable to introduce that tree into the West India Islands.
We may remark in passing, that the transplantation was afterwards
accomplished, though it failed at this time.

The _Bounty_ had been placed under the command of Lieutenant Bligh of
the Royal Navy. Her burden was about 215 tons. She had been fitted
with every appliance and convenience for her special mission, and had
sailed from Spithead on the 23rd December 1787.

Lieutenant Bligh, although an able and energetic seaman, was of an angry
tyrannical disposition. On the voyage out, and afterw