suppose the fellows came to
Europe for, if it was not to see the country? Are we to be left on
board just because we went on a little lark? Not much!"

"That's all very good, but it won't go down," laughed Sheffield.

"I'm not going to eat humble pie for any one. Do you mean to tell me I
am not as good a fellow as Bob Shuffles?"

"I didn't say you were not."

"Am I not his equal?" demanded Howe.

"I suppose you are, if you behave as well."

"Behave as well!" sneered the orator. "I behave well enough, and I'm
not going to be put down, nor beg my rights of Bob Shuffles. If I am
left on board, for one, when the fellows go down the Rhine, I intend to
break things."

"Don't break your own head."

"Let me alone for that. If our fellows have any spirit at all, they
will not be left behind. In the next drill, things will be mixed, and
no one can tell who makes the mischief. Our fellows are not the only
ones that don't like Shuffles, and you will find that about half the
crew will help snarl things up. Now, keep your weather eye open,
Sheffield. Take my advice, and don't whimper. Our fellows have a little
business in Paris and Switzerland, and we shall attend to it in a week
or two. There goes the pipe. Mind your eye, Sheffield."

The boatswain's call sounded through the ship, and officers and crew
hastened to their stations.

CHAPTER II.

CLOSE QUARTERS.

The malcontents in the ship were, apparently, the most zealous seamen
on board. Certainly no one would have suspected them of organizing any
mischief, they looked so innocent and so determined to do their duty
promptly. Howe, Wilton, Little, and others had done their work
thoroughly and secretly. They had arranged at least a dozen different
tricks for making confusion among the crew. To each one of the
discontented a part had been assigned, which he was to perform in such
a way as to conceal his own agency.

Captain Shuffles was planking the quarter-deck with the commodore.
Everybody could see that he was not entirely at his ease. His position
was a novel one to him, and he was oppressed by its responsibilities,
especially since the crew had behaved so badly at the first drill. He
could not help knowing that a portion of the crew were opposed to him,
and would do anything they could to annoy him. The situation was a
difficult one; for, at the commencement of his term of office, he did
not wish to have any of the seamen punished for neglect or
disobed