apital thing at nights. I know she could
never stand the exposure, and canvas don't keep out the rain well; so I
thought of rigging up a large box, into which she can creep. I'll make
air-holes in the roof that will let in air, but not water; and I'll
caulk the seams with oakum, so as to keep it quite dry inside."

"Thank you, my boy, it's very kind of you to take so much thought for my
poor child. Yet she deserves it, Glynn, and we can't be too careful of
her."

The captain patted the youth on the shoulder, and, leaving him to
continue his work, went to see Gurney, who had been ailing a little
during the last few days. Brandy, in small quantities, had been
prescribed by the doctor, and, fortunately, two bottles of that spirit
had been swept from the wreck. Being their whole stock, Captain Dunning
had stowed it carefully away in what he deemed a secret and secure
place; but it turned out that some member of the crew was not so strict
in his principles of temperance as could be desired; for, on going to
the spot to procure the required medicine, it was found that one of the
bottles was gone.

This discovery caused the captain much anxiety and sorrow, for, besides
inflicting on them the loss of a most valuable medicine, it proved that
there was a thief in their little society.

What was to be done? To pass it over in silence would have shown
weakness, which, especially in the circumstances in which they were at
that time placed, might have led at last to open mutiny. To discover
the thief was impossible. The captain's mind was soon made up. He
summoned every one of the party before him, and, after stating the
discovery he had made, he said--

"Now, lads, I'm not going to charge any of you with having done this
thing, but I cannot let it pass without warning you that if I discover
any of you being guilty of such practices in future, I'll have the man
tied up and give him three dozen with a rope's-end. You know I have
never resorted, as many captains are in the habit of doing, to corporal
punishment. I don't like it. I've sailed in command of ships for many
years, and have never found it needful; but now, more than ever, strict
discipline must be maintained; and I tell you, once for all, that I mean
to maintain it _at any cost_."

This speech was received in silence. All perceived the justice of it,
yet some felt that, until the thief should be discovered, they
themselves would lie under suspicion. A fe