owner of the Flyaway, and if he doesn't
get turned off, it won't be his fault."
But Frank did not make any reply. His father did not own half the yacht,
and he began to think he had "barked up the wrong tree," as he
afterwards expressed it. He did not exactly know what to make of things,
and couldn't understand why the yacht had been put about, and headed
towards home. It was rather ominous, and he wished himself out of the
scrape, or rather that he had not embarked in such a stupid enterprise.
Captain Gordon finished his dinner in silence, and as his brow looked as
stormy as a thundercloud, not one of the boys in his watch cared to
question him in regard to his future course.
When the starboard watch had finished their dinner, they went on deck;
and the captain ordered Dick to carry some of the chowder up for the
rebellious portion of the other watch, while the mate, and those of his
party who "stuck by the ship," went below.
When dinner was over, and all hands had returned to the deck, Captain
Gordon announced his intention to return to Bayville at once.
"We haven't been gone a week yet," said Henry Littleton.
"Your father told me, if any serious difficulty occurred on board, to
return home without delay. These fellows have chosen to disobey orders
the first day out; and I think that is a serious matter."
"Do you hear that, Tom?" said Frank, in a whisper, to his
fellow-prisoner.
"I don't care; the sooner he goes home the sooner will he be
discharged."
"But we shall lose all our fun, any way."
"Can't help it; I won't be treated like a servant by my father's
servant," replied Tom, loud enough to be heard by the captain.
"Your father can do what he thinks best when I get home, but while I
command a vessel all hands obey orders."
"Come, Tom, don't let us spoil all the fun. We will pay him off at
another time. Don't let us break up the cruise," whispered Frank. "He's
got us where the hair is short, and we can't help ourselves."
Tom at first refused to "back down," as he and his party elegantly
expressed it; but Frank's suggestion to pay him off at another time at
last prevailed with him, and he consented to join with his companions in
trouble in an apology to Captain Gordon, and a promise to obey orders
without grumbling in future. Frank therefore made overtures for a
capitulation; but the captain at first declined to listen to them, and
it was only upon the urgent request of the rest of the par
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