hard and fast aground, with a tempest brewing
between the general and the commodore.

CHAPTER XXIII.

IN WHICH ERNEST TAKES COMMAND OF THE EXPEDITION.

It was useless for me to remain any longer in the wheel-house, and I
descended by the forward ladder to the deck. I was indignant, but I
was determined to "face the music." The best of friends are liable to
"fall out" at times, and no better than Vallington and myself had ever
existed. He was burdened by the responsibility of the position he had
assumed, and perhaps did not feel just right about the course he had
taken. These things may have made him irritable. Though I had never
before known him to be unkind or uncourteous, he had certainly
"pitched into me," on the present occasion, in a manner which my
self-respect would not permit me to endure.

I had been acting, in charge of the wheel, to the best of my ability;
and I was perfectly confident that nothing would have gone wrong with
the steamer if the engineer had not stopped the wheels. However I felt
on the general question of duty, I was quite satisfied that I had been
faithful to the interests of the expedition upon which we had
embarked; and I could not bear to be "snapped up," and treated like an
inferior in knowledge and skill, even by my chosen leader. I was
"chief of navigation," at least; and I felt that the general had
interfered with my part of the work. He accused me of causing the
mischief, when he had been the author of it himself; and this was so
plain to me that I could not help resenting it.

Very likely my face was flushed with anger and excitement when I
confronted Vallington on the forward deck. If it was, his was not less
so, and there was a lively prospect of a "family quarrel." With my
strong consciousness that I had done right, or, at least, intended to
do right, so far as our expedition was concerned, I could have
afforded to refrain from heated expressions; and it would have been
better if I had done so. It is no reason, because one person gets
mad, that another should. It is more dignified, manly, and Christian
for one always to control his temper. Let the truth be spoken
forcibly, if need be, but kindly.

"We are in for a pretty scrape now," said Vallington, sternly and
angrily, as I walked up to him.

"It isn't my fault if we are," I answered, sharply.

"Why do you say it isn't your fault, Thornton? Didn't you pilot the
steamer into this hole?"

"I didn't pilot her a