romised to be unfavorable before morning. At eight o'clock, the
starboard watch, with the first and third lieutenants in charge, took
the deck, and the port watch went below. They were to be ready for duty
at twelve. Everything on deck was as pleasant as a merry-making. None
of the passengers were seasick.

Everything was not so lovely in the steerage, and it is necessary to go
back a few hours in order to ascertain what passed among the mutineers.

CHAPTER VI.

IN THE STEERAGE.

After the students finished their supper, those who had decided to
rebel against the authorities of the ship retired to the mess-rooms,
agreeably to the instructions of the leaders. There were forty-four of
them, including the eighteen runaways who still remained in the ship as
seamen, and who were the real mischief-makers, forming a class by
themselves, hardening their hearts in sheer ugliness against the
discipline of the ship. In their exploit with the Josephine, they had
"bucked" against authority, and had suffered the consequences, which
unfortunately had not produced a favorable impression upon them. They
were disposed to do the same thing again.

The rest of the mutineers belonged to a different class. They were
generally well-disposed boys, fond of fun and excitement, not exactly
the "lambs" of the flock, but certainly not the black sheep. If some of
them had assisted in creating the confusion during the drill, they had
not done so with any malicious purpose, as the runaways had, but from a
thoughtless love of sport and excitement. They would never have thought
of such an expedient as rebellion if they had not been cunningly worked
upon by the real mischief-makers. They were not strong-minded young
men, who dare to do right under all circumstances. With good impulses
in the main, their principle was not hardened into that solid element
which constitutes a reliable conscience. They were easily led away, and
believing they had a real grievance, they resorted to doubtful means
for its redress.

Of this class Raymond had been the leading spirit. He would have
resented the appellation of mutineer as an insult. All he expected and
desired to obtain was an explanation; and he was confident that when
two thirds of the crew mildly, and even respectfully, declined to do
duty, the principal, either in person or by deputy, would come below to
ascertain the nature of the difficulty. He had cautioned his party to
be perfectly respectfu