Harmon, who, from the part he took in the conversation alluded to
above, appeared to be the ring-leader. Here, in order that the reader
may fully understand the narrative, it becomes necessary for us to
make a very short digression.

The government of a ship is, in the strictest sense of the term,
monarchical, the captain holding undivided and absolute authority. The
relation he sustains to the sailor resembles very much that of the
master to the slave. Consequently, in order that this relation be not
severed by the sailor, even the faintest color of insubordination must
be promptly quelled. If any master of a ship suffer a sailor to make
an impertinent reply with impunity, he immediately finds his authority
prostrate and trampled upon, and his most positive commands
pertinaciously disregarded.

The day after that on which Mr. Kelly had communicated the startling
intelligence to the captain, was somewhat squally. The latter was
standing on the weather side of the quarter-deck, giving directions to
the man at the helm (who happened to be Harmon) respecting the
steering of the ship:

"Luff! luff! keep her full and by! Mind your weather helm, or she'll
be all in the wind. Down with it, or she'll be off! I tell you, if you
don't steer the ship better, I'll send you from the helm. You don't
keep her within three points of her course either way!"

All this was said, of course, in a pretty authoritative tone, and
Harmon impudently replied, "I can steer as well as you, or any other
man in the ship."

Capt. Newton's philosophy was completely dashed by this daring answer,
and he immediately gave Harmon a blow with his fist, which Harmon as
promptly returned sprawling the captain on the deck.

Harmon then deserted the helm, leaving the ship to the mercy of the
tempest, and hurried forward to the forecastle, hoping there to
intrench himself so firmly as to resist all attacks from without.

The captain, as soon as he could recover from his amazement, went to
the cabin door and cried out,

"Mr. Kelly, our lives are in danger--will you assist me, my dear sir,
to secure one of my men, that cut-throat Harmon. We must blow up this
scheme in the outset, or we are gone."

Kelly had too little coolness in his constitution to stop to discuss
the matter, when he knew that the life of a dear sister might depend
on the issue. He saw, in a moment, that the conspirators would take
courage, unless they were immediately overpowered. He