ll have sent ashore; the rest will be provided with everything
needful, and remain aboard."

At this announcement, we gazed strangely at each other, anxious to see
who it was that looked like dying, and pretty nearly deciding to stay
aboard and get well, rather than go ashore and be buried. There were
some, nevertheless, who saw very plainly what Wilson was at, and they
acted accordingly. For my own part, I resolved to assume as dying an
expression as possible; hoping that, on the strength of it, I might
be sent ashore, and so get rid of the ship without any further
trouble.

With this intention, I determined to take no part in anything that
might happen until my case was decided upon. As for the doctor, he
had all along pretended to be more or less unwell; and by a
significant look now given me, it was plain that he was becoming
decidedly worse.

The invalids disposed of for the present, and one of them having gone
below to be examined, the consul turned round to the rest, and
addressed them as follows:--

"Men, I'm going to ask you two or three questions--let one of you
answer yes or no, and the rest keep silent. Now then: Have you
anything to say against your mate, Mr. Jermin?" And he looked
sharply among the sailors, and, at last, right into the eye of the
cooper, whom everybody was eyeing.

"Well, sir," faltered Bungs, "we can't say anything against Mr.
Jermin's seamanship, but--"

"I want no buts," cried the consul, breaking in: "answer me yes or
no--have you anything to say against Mr. Jermin?"

"I was going on to say, sir; Mr. Jermin's a very good man; but then--"
Here the mate looked marlinespikes at Bungs; and Bungs, after
stammering out something, looked straight down to a seam in the deck,
and stopped short.

A rather assuming fellow heretofore, the cooper had sported many
feathers in his cap; he was now showing the white one.

"So much then for that part of the business," exclaimed Wilson,
smartly; "you have nothing to say against him, I see."

Upon this, several seemed to be on the point of saying a good deal;
but disconcerted by the cooper's conduct, checked themselves, and the
consul proceeded.

"Have you enough to eat, aboard? answer me, you man who spoke
before."

"Well, I don't know as to that," said the cooper, looking excessively
uneasy, and trying to edge back, but pushed forward again. "Some of
that salt horse ain't as sweet as it might be."

"That's not what I asked you," shou