u think a fellow
seventeen years old is going to be put up or put down by marks?" said
Shuffles.

"I thought you had been working for a place in the cabin."

"So I have, but I don't expect to get it. I never studied so hard in my
life, and I believe I haven't had a bad mark since I came on board,
Lowington thinks I have reformed," laughed Shuffles. "And so I have."

"What do you want to get up a mutiny for, then?"

"I shall not, if I get a decent position; if I don't, I'm going in for
some fun."

"But do you really think of getting up a mutiny?" asked Wilton,
curiously.

"I was thinking the other day what a fine thing it would be if our
fellows had the ship all to themselves."

"What could we do with her?"

"Go on a cruise in her."

"We couldn't handle her; there is hardly a fellow on board that knows
anything about navigation."

"Of course, I don't mean to do anything yet a while; not this year,
perhaps. One of these days, if we stay on board, we shall know all about
a ship. Fifteen or twenty of the fellows are studying navigation. We are
going to Europe some time or other. When we do, we can take the ship,
and go it on our own hook."

"I don't believe you mean anything of the kind, Bob Shuffles."

"I've been thinking about it, anyhow. We can lock Lowington and the rest
of the old folks into their cabin while they are at dinner; and there
are enough of us to handle Peaks and Bitts."

"I think you are crazy, Shuffles."

"We should have a high old time if we could get possession of the ship.
We wont say a word about it yet."

"I think you had better not."

"We might go round Cape Horn into the Pacific, and have a splendid time
among the beautiful islands of the South Sea."

"Of course all the fellows wouldn't join you."

"We could put those ashore somewhere who did not agree with us."

"You know the penalty of mutiny on the high seas."

"Bah!" said Shuffles, contemptuously. "It would be nothing but it lark.
No one would think of hanging us, or even sending us to prison for it.
My father is rich enough to get me out of any scrape."

"So is mine; but I don't think it would be quite safe to go into a
mutiny."

"Not yet, my dear fellow. You can think it over."

"But I'm tired of this kind of a life. I liked it first rate in the
beginning. Do you think Lowington really intends to go to sea with the
ship?"

"I know he does."

"If he don't go pretty soon, I shall run away, and go to sea in
ear