easier, too, and by Mr Meldrum's directions she
and Kate turned in comparatively early. They really both wanted a good
night's rest, and their father was not long in following out his own
precept, advising Mr Lathrope to do likewise, to which he was nothing
loth; so that, soon after eight bells had struck, all the occupants of
the saloon were buried in repose and the ship quiet--with the exception
of an occasional tinkering sound from the main-deck, coupled with the
"clink-clank" of the chain-pumps and the wash of the waves past the
sides, all of which were almost inaudible aft.

About four bells in the morning watch, Mr Meldrum awoke; and, without
disturbing any of the others, he rose and went on deck.

He seemed to have a presentiment of something happening.

It was quite dark now, the stars having gone in and the sky become
clouded over; while the wind had changed and was blowing in short sharp
gusts from the southward, which, with the chopping sea, made the ship
labour a good deal, taking in lots of water forward. She seemed to bury
her head in every wave, her bows being so depressed from the fore
compartment being full; and this compelled the crew in consequence to
work double spells at the pumps, which caused much grumbling, for the
men were almost dead beat, although Captain Dinks still kept them hard
at it.

The disaffection had almost reached a head before Mr Meldrum came up,
on account of the captain keeping the port watch, in which was Moody and
two of his special chums--at the unpleasant task, without allowing them
a turn off below, as he had done the other watch, the members of which,
however, had had their spell of duty before "all hands" had been called,
and thus were fully entitled to the relief. But, the grumblers, in
considering their own grievance, did not recollect this, and the
appearance of the passenger, whom some of them were already inclined to
dislike from something Ben Boltrope had dropped of his being a naval
man, and the fact of his now ranging himself alongside of the captain,
as if to support his authority, brought matters to a crisis.

"Spell ho!" shouted Bill Moody defiantly, dropping his arms and striking
work. "I'm hanged if I pump another stroke! The blessed old hulk can
go to the bottom as soon as she likes."

"Nor I," exclaimed another, likewise leaving off. "Nor I!" chorused
half a dozen more; and, in a second, the pumps were at a standstill.

Adams, the second mate, w