e boat he was to command. The others were to follow in the same way,
descending from the boom, for it was not considered prudent to run the
boats up to the gangway, where some enthusiastic officer might easily
interfere with the plan, which was to depend for its success upon the
celerity of its execution.

When four bells struck, the professors went down to their evening meal,
as usual, and the boatswain piped the port watch to supper, the
starboard watch having taken theirs at three bells, or half past five.
Wilton gave a low whistle, when Shuffles, officer of the deck, was abaft
the mizzenmast, with his back to the runaways who had gathered in the
waist, and were waiting for the signal.

"Be lively, fellows," said the leader of the enterprise, as he sprang
over the rail, and ran out on the boom, followed by Monroe.

The others, in the order in which they had been instructed, did the
same. About half of them were on the boom, when the movement was
reported to the officer of the deck by the midshipman on duty in the
waist. Shuffles rushed forward, now understanding, for the first time,
the intentions of Wilton; and true to the inspiration of fidelity, he
set about defeating the object of "our fellows."

The studding-sail boom, to which the boats were fastened, was supported
by a topping-lift from above, and kept in position, at right angles with
the side of the ship, by guys extending forward and aft.

"Stand by that fore guy!" shouted Shuffles, as he sprang upon the rail.
"Cast off!"

"Lively, fellows!" said Wilton, when he saw that the third lieutenant
intended to swing in the boom to the ship's side.

"Stand by the after guy of the studding-sail boom!" continued Shuffles,
with becoming energy.

Both his orders were promptly obeyed; but seeing that his movement would
be too late, he rushed to the topping-lift, and cast it off, causing the
swinging boom to drop into the water, just as the last boy was about to
slide down into the professors' boat. Of course the luckless fellow went
into the water; but he was promptly picked up by his companions in
mischief.

"If I'm caught, Bob Shuffles, you look out for breakers!" cried Wilton,
as the third lieutenant appeared at the gangway again.

The tide was coming in, and the boats swung so far abaft the boom that
it had fallen clear of them when it dropped into the water. Wilton and
Monroe were prompt to avail themselves of their present success, and the
boys sat in