r from right; for certainly the students would not be allowed to step
on shore if the discipline of the ship was not satisfactory. Miss Grace
was sadly disturbed at the thought of depriving the students of the
pleasure of seeing the Rhine, its wonders and its beauties.

"Why, I thought your crew were in perfect discipline, Captain--no, I
mean Commodore--Kendall," said she, as they sat upon the quarter-deck,
discussing the great question of the hour.

"They are, generally," replied Paul. "But you know we are a little
world by ourselves, and we have our troubles just like other people. It
will be all right, I hope, in a day or two. The students get a little
wild sometimes."

"Captain Shuffles is such a noble fellow, I should think they would all
wish to do their best. I'm sure I should, if I were a sailor in your
ship."

"Shuffles is a capital fellow," added Paul, who was certainly more
pleased to praise the commander himself, than to have his fair
companion do so.

"I shall never forget his noble conduct on that terrible night when the
steamer was burned," said Grace, warmly.

"Probably none of us will ever forget it. But I am sorry to say that
there is a great deal of dissatisfaction with the new captain, just
now, even among the officers," added Paul.

"I'm very sorry."

"But it is not his fault; really it is not," continued Paul, fearing
that he had said too much.

"I'm sure it is not," protested Grace. "I wonder if I have any
influence with the officers."

"I think you have: indeed, I know you have with one of them," replied
Paul; but he began to choke before he had uttered the last clause of
the sentence.

"With one of them?"

"Yes, with all of them; but perhaps more with one than with others,"
stammered Paul, studying the seams in the quarter-decks.

"Who is he, pray?" asked Grace, rather timidly.

"With the commodore," answered he, desperately.

"Thank you, Commodore Kendall. Then we will both use our influence to
have the captain set right with the officers and the crew."

"Well, it is not exactly the right thing for so dignified a personage
as the commodore to persuade his inferiors that his views are correct.
He issues orders, and others obey them," laughed Paul. "But really I
cannot, in courtesy, meddle with the discipline of the ship."

"I'm going to meddle with it, if I can do anything to set Captain
Shuffles right," said Grace, who was very confident that it was quite
impossible for h