m the rest. Leave all the talking to
me--don't say a word to any one who comes in the steamer."

Our whole company promised to obey these instructions to the letter,
and to be in readiness for any movement which might be ordered. The
steamer ran up to the rude pier, and made fast her bow-line to a
tree.

CHAPTER XX.

IN WHICH ERNEST TAKES THE WHEEL OF THE ADIENO.

We watched with intense interest the proceedings of the men who came
off in the steamer. After the exhibition of meanness on the part of
Mr. Parasyte, it seemed that the rebellion was more serious than any
of us had supposed. We made up our minds, with Bob Hale, that it would
be impossible for us ever to be reconciled to him again. We felt as
though the Rubicon had been passed, and what had commenced as a mere
frolic was likely to end as a very grave affair. Though the boys
talked solemnly at first about their rights, and had "struck" to
vindicate a principle, they had no idea of the seriousness of their
proceedings.

I shall not pretend to justify all that was done by our boys, or even
to acknowledge that "breaking away," under any circumstances, is
justifiable; but I do say, that such a man as the principal of the
Parkville Liberal Institute was not a fit person to instruct and
discipline young men. He was grossly unjust and partial; he was a
tyrant at heart, though for policy's sake he veiled his purposes; he
was low-minded and narrow in his views; and I am happy to say that he
was not a fair specimen of the teachers of our land.

If the boys were wrong, he was so to a much greater degree, and his
position and his influence made him responsible for the mischief he
had driven the boys to perpetrate. It would have been better for them,
as a body, to submit until redress could be obtained in a better
way--as by the circular addressed to their parents, which was even
then in the hands of the printer. I palliate, I do not justify, the
conduct of the students.

Matters had begun to assume a graver aspect. Mr. Parasyte had come
with a steamer, and with about a dozen men, as nearly as we could
judge, to accomplish some purpose not yet apparent to us. We were
curious to know whether we were to be driven like sheep on board of
the Adieno, or whether our persecutor intended to resort to strategy.
He had sent off his toadies to take our boats away; but he had started
them while we were upon Cleaver Island, and before we had laid in our
stock of provis