f shut!" cried Semmel. "I no talk to you, no!"

"The captain wants you to report; are you going to do so or not?"
demanded Larry.

"Sure I go," answered Semmel, with a toss of his head, and he slouched
toward the stern. His manner was so aggressive that Larry picked up a
belaying pin before following him.

Captain Ponsberry had just appeared on deck. He had armed himself with a
short club,--a sure sign to those who knew him that something unusual
was in the wind. His face was stern and forbidding, and all hands
gathered around to see what was the trouble.

"Semmel, I want to have a talk with you," he said, in a loud voice, as
the bearded sailor came up.

To this the sailor nodded but did not answer.

"I want to know what you were doing in the cook's galley a short while
ago."

"De cook's galley?" The sailor acted as if he was puzzled. "I no go by
de galley, captain."

"You were in the galley and you put something into the stew-pot. What
was it?" thundered Captain Ponsberry. "Tell me the truth, or I may take
it into my head to break every bone in your body!" And he shook his club
in the sailor's face.

"I put noddings in de pot," cried Semmel. "I no go in de galley--I no
been in de galley two, tree days. It is a lie!"

"I saw you go in," came from Luke.

"And so did I," added Larry. "And I saw you sprinkle something into the
pot."

"What, did dat good-fo'-nuffin furiner put somet'ing in ma eatin'?"
shrieked Jeff, who had come up. "Oh,--yo'--yo'----"

"Never mind, Jeff, I'll attend to this," interrupted the captain.

"Yes, sah, but dat monkey-faced----"

"Never mind now--fall back there," added the captain, and the cook fell
back, but shook his fist at Semmel.

"I not in de galley," reiterated the bearded sailor. "Russell an'
Striker no tell de truth."

"It is true," cried Larry.

"Thet's so, an' you can't squirm out o' it," broke in Luke. "I saw ye as
plain as day."

"I want to know what you put into that stew-pot?" continued Captain
Ponsberry.

"I no go near de galley. I----"

"I know you went into the galley and I know you put something into the
stew. For the last time I ask you, what was it?"

For reply Ostag Semmel simply shrugged his shoulders.

"Are you going to tell me the truth?"

"I reckon the truth ain't in him," grumbled Luke, under his breath.

"I say noddings more," came sourly from the bearded sailor.

"Put that man in irons," commanded Captain Ponsberry, turning quickly t