instant, but as a matter of fact, not half of them did
drop. Sheets, buntlines, bowlines, lifts, reef-pendants, and halyards
were fearfully snarled up. Some of the seamen on the yards were pulling
one way, and some another; some declared the snarl was in one place,
others in another place. The rogues had realized an undoubted success
in the work they had undertaken. Vainly the midshipmen in the tops
tried to bring order out of confusion. Those who were actually laboring
to untangle the ropes only increased the snarl.

The condition of affairs was duly reported to the captain, who had
become very impatient at the long delay. The masters were then sent
aloft to help the midshipmen unravel the snarl, but they succeeded no
better. It was evident enough to all the officers that this confusion
could not have been created without an intention to do it. An accident
might have happened on the main or the mizzen-mast, but not on every
yard on all three of the masts.

"What are you about?" asked Perth, who had been sent into the main-top,
as he met Howe.

"We have come to the conclusion that Bob Shuffles can't handle this
ship," whispered the ringleader of the mischief, with a significant
wink.

"You are getting us into a scrape."

"Well, we all are in the same boat."

"Don't carry it too far," suggested Master Perth.

"Carry what too far?" demanded Robinson, the midshipman in the top, who
had heard a word or two of the confidential talk--enough to give him an
idea of what was in the wind.

"Dry up, old fellow," said Perth, with some confusion, as Howe, who had
come down from the yard to cast off a line, sprang back to his place.

"What did you mean by that remark of yours?" inquired the midshipman.

"I told Howe not to carry the end of the buntline too far. It was wound
three times around the topsail sheet."

"Was that what you meant?" asked Robinson, suspiciously.

"Don't you see that buntline?" replied Perth. "It is fouled in the
sheet, and he was pulling it through farther, so as to snarl it up
still worse."

"All right," replied the inferior, who, however, was far from being
satisfied with the explanation.

"All right!" retorted Perth, smartly. "Is that the way you address your
superior officer. One would think I was responsible to you for my words
and actions."

"I didn't mean that," added Robinson.

"What did you mean?"

"I only said all right to your explanation."

"You did--did you?" said Perth, s