had settled down into order and quiet.

"I don't like to see old Peaks on board," replied the little villain.
"He is a tough customer, and may bother us."

"That's so."

"But I think we can wax him."

"I hope so. We have Tom Perth now to help us. We must take him into our
squad, and then we shall just make up a crew for the third or fourth
cutter."

"I don't like too many."

"But Perth has the rocks in his pocket now--twenty pounds, or five
hundred francs," suggested Herman.

"That's an inducement."

"Certainly it is. We can cut for Paris the moment we get on shore."

"All right. We will try it on about to-morrow night. But don't say a
word to a single other fellow. We must look out for ourselves this
time, and not attempt to carry all the rest of the fellows on our
backs," added the prudent Little.

"It looks mean to do so."

"No, it don't. I have told them all to look out for themselves."

"But they don't even know how the thing is to be managed."

"No; and they shall not know it. If they don't know enough to go ashore
when the vessel is adrift, let them stay on board."

"Well, Perth is the only fellow to whom I mentioned it."

"That's all right; but don't let him say anything about how the thing
is to be done."

"He don't know. I only told him we had a plan which could not possibly
fail."

"It won't, if Peaks don't make trouble. We must let off the gun when he
is not on deck," continued Little.

"We shall be able to see, after to-night, how things are to be done on
board, and whether any of the men are to keep watch," added Herman. "We
needn't give up if we don't happen to get off to-morrow night, for we
have two or three weeks to do the job in."

Little, seated out on the bowsprit, rehearsed his plan again, and went
into all the minor details. They were presently joined by Perth, and
the whole affair was explained to him. He approved it, and made a
number of suggestions in regard to the boats.

"I am bound to go this time," said Perth, earnestly. "I don't stay
another week in the Academy. I have had my shoulder-straps stripped
off, and am pointed at by the lambs as an example of a naughty boy. I
bluffed them all on board the ship, but with me the die is cast. If
your plan don't work, I shall jump overboard, and swim ashore. I have
been degraded and disgraced, and I can't possibly stand it any longer."

"We are all in the same boat; and if we can't get off any other way, we
will set the v