n our favor."

"How are you going to do it?" asked Lindsley.

"Leave that to me. I have a plan which cannot fail. Do the fair thing
by us, and we will get you out of the scrape."

"I will agree to this, and nothing more: I will stand out till we have
a chance to be heard," replied Raymond, who began to have some hope of
the mysterious movements of Howe. "I will do nothing but stand out."

"We don't ask you to do anything else. We will do the rest, if you back
us up."

"We don't back you up, for we don't even know what you are going to
do."

"We will tell you what we are going to do."

"Hold on! Perhaps we had better not know anything about it," interposed
Raymond.

"No, you don't!" exclaimed Howe. "We will tell those who will take the
oath."

"The oath!" ejaculated Lindsley. "Are we joining the Knights of the
Golden Fleece?"

"No, no! I mean the promise," answered Howe, impatiently. "Word and
honor--that's all I want."

The runaway portion of the rebels were doubtless already familiar with
the extraordinary means which was to turn the ship back to the ports of
France. The others, who attended the meeting, were largely influenced
by curiosity. They were intensely mortified at the defeat, which they
were unwilling to acknowledge. It would afford them immense
satisfaction to have the tables turned in their favor; but they were
utterly unable to imagine what powerful machinery Howe and his
associates could bring to bear upon the obdurate principal; how they
were to compel him to put the ship about, and return to France.

The mild party retired to consider whether it would be prudent for them
to enter into a compact of this description with such dangerous
characters as the runaways. They were prejudiced against the measure,
but victory in the undertaking, in which they had engaged, was so
earnestly coveted, that they were tempted to join hands even with Howe,
Little, Wilton, and other desperate fellows. When a person has once
gone astray, the inducements to go farther increase. But Raymond and
his friends were not quite willing to pledge themselves in advance to
measures which they were not allowed to understand; and they finally
agreed to bind themselves to secrecy, in regard to the nature of the
scheme, if Howe would explain it on these terms, and then engage in it
if it were not too wicked. The party returned to the foremast, and
Raymond stated their position.

"That won't go down," promptly replied Howe