hello,'" repeated Sam.

Still the Hawaiian made no reply. He simply scowled--scowled until his
face was ridged with sharp wrinkles.

"Don't you know how to salute, my man?" urged Sam, with the superior
air that he had seen some officers employ.

"Me know."

"Then salute your superior."

"No salute you. You nothing but red-head."

"Oh, that's it, is it? Because I'm a red-head you won't salute me?
Well, let me tell you, I had a sight rather have a red head than some
other colors that I know about."

Sam turned on his heel and strode into the gun turret without another
word. He did not realize that he had made an enemy of the dark-skinned
Hawaiian, an enemy who would never forget to do him an injury. Perhaps
Sam would not have cared had he known.

A few moments later the gun captain emerged from the turret and stood
leaning over the rail of the ship, looking into the water, one hand
resting lightly on the muzzle of the seven-inch gun. Suddenly his hand
slipped and went right into the muzzle.

The gun captain withdrew the hand with a surprised look on his face.

"What's this?" he muttered. "What did that red-head do with the
tompion, I wonder!"

He glanced about the deck, and, failing to discover the brass gun plug,
hurriedly entered the turret where Sam was now engaged in polishing the
bright work on the gun butt.

"Hickey!"

"Yes, sir."

"What did you do with that tompion after you polished it?"

"The plug, you mean?"

"Yes."

"Why, I put it back where it belongs."

"Where, I asked you?"

"I stuck it in the gun."

"Come out here."

The gun captain led Sam to the outer deck, and, taking hold of the
boy's arm, pointed to the muzzle of the seven-inch.

"Do you see any tompion in that gun?" he demanded.

"N-n-n-no," answered Sam hesitatingly.

"Now, tell me where you put it."

"I told you once. I put it in the muzzle. Where did you think I put
it!"

"I did not think. But it is now my opinion that you dropped it
overboard."

"I did nothing of the sort," protested Hickey indignantly.

"You were the last man to handle the plug, were you not?"

"Y-e-s."

"Where is it?"

"I--I don't know."

"That will cost you twenty-five, young man. You will no doubt be put
on the list for a reprimand, if not worse. That's all I've got to say
to you."

Sam stood with both hands thrust in his trousers' pockets, gazing
absently off to sea.

"Almost a whole month's pay gone to grass," he