as," returned Swinton. "I claim these lads as my prisoners, and I'll
do with them what I please. No man is master now. Might is right on
this island!"

The words had scarcely been uttered when Big Swinton felt his right
shoulder grasped as if in a vice, and next moment he was flung violently
to the ground, while Paul Burns stood over him with a huge piece of wood
in his hand, and a half-stern, half-smiling look on his countenance.

The men were taken completely by surprise, for Paul had, up to this
time, shown such a gentle unwarlike spirit that the crew had come to
regard him as "a soft lump of a fellow."

"Big Swinton," he said, in the mildest of voices, "as you have laid down
the law that `might is right,' you cannot, of course, object to my
acting on it. In virtue of that law, I claim these prisoners as mine,
so you may get up and go about your business. You see, lads," he added,
turning to the men, while Swinton rose and retired, "though I have no
wish to domineer over you or to usurp authority. I have a right to
claim that my voice shall be heard and my reasons weighed. As Swinton
truly remarked, no man is master now, but as he followed this remark by
making _himself_ master, and laying down a law for us, I thought it
might be complimentary to him just to act, for once, under his law, and
show him how well it works! Now, let me have a word with you.

"It is evident that the land over there is peopled with savages who,
probably, never saw white men before. If we treat these young fellows
kindly, and send them away with gifts in their hands, we shall, no
doubt, make friends of the savages. If we treat them ill, or kill them,
their relations will come over, mayhap in swarms, and drive us into the
sea. I drop the Swinton law of might being right, and ask you who are
now the law-makers--which is it to be--kindness or cruelty?"

"Kindness!" shouted by far the greater number of the audience, for even
bad men are ready enough to see and admit the beauty of truth and
justice when they are not themselves unpleasantly affected by these
principles.

The decision being thus made, Paul took the arm of one of the young
Indians and led him gently towards his fire, while the men scattered to
their several camps. Master Trench led the other youth in the same
kindly way, and little Oliver, motioning to them to sit down, set before
them two platters of pork and pancakes. This he did with such a
benignant smile that