body paid any attention to him, but presently the hatch was shoved
aside a few inches and Ostag Semmel looked down. Behind him was
Shamhaven.

"Semmel, what does this mean?" asked the captain, as calmly as he could.

"It means dat ve haf de ship," replied the Russian, with a grin.

"You are carrying matters with a very high hand. Where are Grandon and
Vincent?"

"I not tell you dat."

"We had a right to mutiny," said Shamhaven. "The grub wasn't fit to eat
and was getting worse every day."

"That's a tale gotten up for the occasion, Shamhaven, and you know it.
Semmel doctored the food to make you dissatisfied."

"Well, we don't think so," grumbled the sailor. "I don't think so, and
Groot and the others don't either."

"Has Jack Wilbur joined you?"

"Certainly he has," was Shamhaven's ready reply, but his look belied his
words.

"Ve are all pount to stick togedder," said Semmel. "You might as vell
gif up--der sooner der petter for you!"

"I don't propose to give up, you rascal."

"Ton't you call me a rascals, no!" shouted Ostag Semmel. "I vos now der
captains, yes, do you hear? Captain Semmel!"

"Bosh!" put in Luke Striker, in disgust. "Why ye ain't fit to be the
skipper 'f a canal-boat!"

"If you try to navigate the ship you'll sink her on the rocks," put in
Larry.

"You had better consider what you are doing, Shamhaven," went on the
master of the _Columbia_. "Remember, if I regain possession of the
schooner I can make it go hard with you."

"You no get dare schooner again, not much!" came from Peterson, who had
just come up, followed by Jack Wilbur.

"Wilbur, are you in this?" demanded the captain. "If you are, I must
confess I didn't think it of you."

"I ain't goin' to eat poor grub," answered Wilbur, lamely.

"The grub is all right and you know it. It was doctored up by Semmel,
and I----"

"You stop dat talk!" roared Semmel, and then he added: "Maybe you gif in
after you are goot an' hungry, hey?"

"What, do you want to starve us out?" cried Larry.

"You see--chust vait!" answered the Russian, and with this the hatch was
again put in place and the conference came to an end.

Captain Ponsberry was fairly boiling with wrath, but even so he realized
that prudence is often the better part of valor.

"There is no use of trying a rush to the deck," he said. "Those rascals
would surely shoot us down. Just now some of them are in the humor for
anything."

"Perhaps we can do something to-nigh