ral, do your duty."

"All right, corpy, I'm coming," said the boatswain, as the marine laid
his hand upon his arm. "But the skipper may fall overboard and drown
hisself next time, afore I gives him a helping hand."

"Mutiny! mutiny!" cried the lieutenant. "Do you hear, Mr Leigh? The
ship's crew are in open mutiny, and uttering threats. Fetch my pistols,
sir," he cried, drawing his sword. "Cut down the first man who utters
another word. Do you hear, Mr Leigh? Quick! my pistols!"

"If you please, your honour," began Billy Waters, pulling his forelock
and giving a kick out behind.

"Si-lence!" roared the lieutenant. "Here, marines, come on my side.
I'll cut down the next man who dares to speak. Have you got the
pistols, Mr Leigh?"

Of course there was no answer.

"I say, have you got my pistols, Mr Leigh?" cried the lieutenant again.

Still there was silence, and in his fury the lieutenant thrust the
bandage up from over his inflamed eye, and tried to see what was going
on.

Truth to speak, he was as blind as an owl in broad sunshine; but in his
irritable frame of mind he would not own it, even to himself, and
pushing the bandage higher he tilted off his cocked hat, which fell with
a bang on the deck, and in trying to save his hat he struck himself on
the jaw with the hilt of his sword, and dropped that in turn, to fall
with a ringing noise on the whitened planks.

"Confusion!" he exclaimed as the corporal picked up hat and sword in
turn, and handed them to the irate officer, whose temper was in no wise
sweetened by this last upset. "Ha! thank you, Mr Leigh, you are very
polite all at once," he cried sarcastically, as he stared at the
corporal, who stood before him drawn up stiff as a ramrod, but
representing nothing but a blurred figure before the inflamed optic of
the lieutenant. "Well, sir! Now, sir! perhaps you will condescend to
give some explanation of your conduct. Silence, there! If any man of
this crew dares to speak I'll cut him down. Now, Mr Leigh, I call upon
you for an explanation."

No answer, of course.

"Do you hear what I say, sir?"

The corporal did not stir or move a muscle.

"Once more, sir, I demand why you do not explain your conduct," cried
the lieutenant.

The corporal drew himself up a little tighter, and his eyes were fixed
upon the bright blade quivering in the lieutenant's hand.

"Speak, sir. It's mutiny by all the articles of war," roared the
lieutenant, taki