ld be restored only by the grace of the
principal, and they had nothing to sacrifice. It was not prudent to
enter into their counsels, and the mildest rebels, like Hyde and
Johnson, avoided them.

"We are not making much on this tack," said Howe, when the rebels, who
chose to take part in the meeting, had assembled.

"That's so!" exclaimed Lindsley.

"Well, what's to be done? That's the next question."

"Nothing," added Raymond, who dreaded any extreme measures, and did not
mean that Howe's party should obtain control of the movement. "As I
understand the matter, all is going on right. We have only to hold out,
and everything will end well for us."

"But we are shut up in the steerage. We are prisoners. The tables are
turned upon us," replied Howe.

"Not at all. We have carried our point so far. We refused to do duty,
and we haven't done any. I am in favor of fighting it out in this
manner to the end."

"It is a milk-and-water affair as it is now, and won't amount to
anything."

"What's the reason it won't?" demanded the champion of the mild party.

"Suppose the main hatch were opened, and the boatswain should call all
hands--how many of us do you suppose would be left? There are a dozen
of your chickens that would back down so quick it would make your eyes
smart," added the champion of the intense party, pointing to the group
which had collected around Hyde, who appeared to be forming a party of
his own. "And the next time the call was made, a lot more would slump.
Before long we should be so reduced in numbers that the brig would hold
us all, and a few of us would have to stand the punishment for the sins
of the crowd. You led us into the scrape; now you must help us out of
it."

"Who led you into it?" asked Raymond, indignantly.

"You and your fellows, of course," retorted the heavy champion.

"I don't see it."

"Don't you? Then you are as green as a tame pigeon," continued Howe,
smartly. "Our fellows--of course you know I mean those who ran away in
the Josephine--are under the ban already. Did you suppose we were going
into an affair like this alone? Not much! We went in because you did;
to back up your movement. Now we are in it, you want to back out, and
let your fellows show the white feather."

"I don't mean to back out," protested Raymond.

"But those fellows out there do," added the wily rogue.

"Well, there are thirty of us here, who will stick to the end. What do
you say, fellows?"

"O