ty that he
finally consented to pardon the offenders and continue the cruise. It
was only because he did not like to punish the innocent with the guilty,
he declared, that he reversed his former decision; but if any further
difficulty occurred, they would know what to expect.

CHAPTER XVII.

PAUL DISCOVERS THAT MISCHIEF IS BREWING.

It was with more than the usual alacrity that the crew flew to their
stations when the order was given to come about, and the Flyaway was
soon retracing her course towards Gloucester. It was about sunset when
this step was taken, and the yacht was some ten or twelve miles from
Norman's Reef. She would have made a quick run of this distance, but the
wind had all died out, and there was a perfect calm upon the sea. There
was but little prospect of their getting to Gloucester that night, and
they were too far out to anchor.

Before dark the captain had some misgivings as to the propriety of his
course in continuing the cruise, for Tom and his companions seemed to be
sulky, and he had several times observed them in close communication on
the forecastle. But he felt perfectly competent to manage them, however
refractory they might prove to be; yet he feared their misconduct would
destroy all the pleasure of the trip. He resolved to treat them as well
as though nothing had happened, but at the same time to keep a sharp
lookout upon them.

"All hands aft," called Captain Gordon; and the crew, including the
mutineers, promptly obeyed the summons. "Boys," he continued, when they
had all assembled in the standing room, "I propose, during this trip, at
the suggestion of Captain Littleton, who would have carried out the plan
if he had come with us,--I propose to instruct you a little in the
practical duties of seamanship to give you something to think about,
while we are idling around the decks. You see that bell, over the
windlass?"

"Ay, ay, sir."

"That's a very important thing on board a ship, for by it is regulated
everything that takes place, especially the watches. As we are likely to
be out to-night, or at least a part of the night, I intend to keep a
regular watch on board, just as they do in any well-regulated vessel.
Indeed, it is absolutely necessary to do so. We can't all turn in and
sleep while the vessel is on her course; some of us must be on deck all
the time. Therefore we had better have things done up in shipshape
order."

"That is just what we want," said Henry--a