"Come on, then," said Tom, "I will go if there is only one fellow to
back me up."

"We will follow you," added Frank. "Go ahead, Tom!"

"You had better count the cost before you go any farther," interposed
Charles Lawrence. "You know we all promised to obey Captain Gordon in
everything he directed, whether on shore or on board."

"We didn't expect he was going to treat us like servants--like dogs."

"Captain Littleton wouldn't let him domineer over us in that style if he
were here. Come on, boys," said Tom, as he led the way aft.

"Where are you going, boys?" demanded Captain Briskett, as the
rebellious watch appeared in the standing room.

"Going below to get our dinner."

"Not yet; you must wait till the watch is relieved. You heard the
captain's orders."

"We don't care for the captain's orders. We are not going to be treated
like dogs."

"But it is necessary that one watch should be on deck all the time."

"Can you tell me why it was necessary to have the starboard watch go to
dinner first?"

"I cannot; it is the captain's business to order, and mine to obey,"
replied the mate.

"It isn't our business to obey any such orders as that," said Tom.
"Come, Paul, let us all go below, and have our dinner."

"I shall obey orders," replied Paul, decidedly.

"On deck, there! What's the matter?" called Captain Gordon, from the
cabin.

"There is a mutiny in the larboard watch," replied the mate, with a
smile.

Tom and Frank did not wait for any more explanations, and began to
descend the ladder into the cabin.

"Stop, boys! what does this mean?" demanded Captain Gordon, rising from
the table.

"It means that we are going to have our dinners; that is all," replied
Tom, who had by this time reached the cabin floor.

"But my orders were, that the larboard watch should remain on deck."

"We don't care for that."

"You don't, eh?" And Captain Gordon was evidently very much surprised,
for whatever he had expected, he certainly had not anticipated a mutiny
the first day out.

"Wasn't my order a reasonable one?" he continued.

"No, sir! It was not."

"It is necessary that one watch should be on deck while the vessel is
under sail."

"That may be; but it wasn't necessary that _your_ watch should go to
dinner first," replied Tom.

"Will you return to your duty, or not?"

"No, _sir_!"

"You had better consider well what you are doing, Tom, before you go any
farther. Captain Littleton placed me in