l was to
pay a good price for the ammunition, and then the captain was to be
allowed to proceed with the ship unmolested on the rest of his cruise.

As the ammunition had been shipped from an American port, the Coast
Guard lieutenant realized that complications might ensue. Accordingly,
since it was only a few hours' run to Apalachicola, and the wind was
fair, the lieutenant advised the Italian captain to run for that port
and deal with the question of the mate and the other three mutineers
before the proper court.

A file of men, under command of Gunner Sternow, was left on board the
bark to preserve order. The mate and the three other mutineers were
thrust in irons into the carpenter's shop, which was converted into a
prison for the purpose, one of the cutter's men standing on guard. The
following morning, the harbor authorities of Apalachicola having been
notified by wireless, a tug came off bearing authority for the formal
arrest of the four men, who were taken ashore and put in prison, pending
action by the Italian consul and the civil authorities.

"I suppose this mutiny business is rather rare," said Eric to Homer, as
the _Miami_ swung out of Apalachicola Bay.

"Not so rare as you'd fancy," his friend answered. "There's not a season
goes by that some of the cutters don't have to take a hand in settling
mutiny. Why, only last year, a crew seized a vessel, in the real
old-fashioned pigtail and tarred-trousers style, imprisoned the master
in the cabin, and started to sail the ship back to the United States on
their own hook."

"Where were they bound for?"

"'Frisco, from Philadelphia, round the Horn. She was the _Manga Reva_,
an American full-rigged ship with a crew of twenty-three men. She was
about 600 miles out when the men mutinied and sailed her back to
Delaware Breakwater. The master succeeded in running up a distress
signal, which was reported to the _Onondaga_. You know her station is
just north of Hatteras. The _Onondaga_ put an armed crew on board, and
took the mutineers on board the cutter, steamed up the river to
Wilmington, Delaware, where they were turned over to the Federal
authorities to await trial."

"What did they get?"

"Pretty heavy terms of imprisonment," the other answered; "mutiny on the
high seas is a mighty ticklish thing."

"What do you suppose this mate we collared will get?"

"Hard to say," the other answered. "After all, he's an Italian, sailing
under Italian colors. Uncle