for ornament, you know."

In the grasp of such a powerful man as Ralph Pennant, Corny was
powerless, and he was compelled to submit, though his opposition
appeared to be merely a matter of form with him, for he could not help
realizing that it was utterly useless; but he had not been in the affray
on deck, and he had not learned the full lesson from experience. The
irons were locked upon his wrists, and the seaman was directed to
conduct him to the place assigned to all the prisoners.

"This is mean of you, Christy, to put me in irons," said Corny
reproachfully as he turned to his cousin; "I might have asked Captain
Battleton to put you in irons on board of the Vernon; but I did not."

"If he had done so, I should not have complained. I have been a prisoner
of war, and I had to take my chances. We may be in action for aught I
know in a few hours, and I do not mean to have half a dozen rebels at my
heels to trip me up if I can help it. The circumstances are entirely
different from those on board of the Vernon."

"I don't think so," muttered Corny. "You treat your own flesh and blood
as though blood was nothing but water with you."

"I stand by the Union, and those on the other side must keep out from
under. When I was in a Confederate prison, my uncle Homer, your father,
did not do a single thing for me. Lead on, Ralph."

Dr. Connelly was so much astonished at the proceedings that he did not
turn in, but completed his toilet, and came out into the ward room
again. He looked troubled, for he had heard nothing of the struggle on
the quarter-deck, and the situation was a revelation to him. He looked
and talked as though he thought that Christy and his associates who had
captured the vessel were simply mutineers. The captain sent the steward
for Boxie, and, giving him a pair of pistols and a cutlass, informed
him that he was to stand guard over the five prisoners until he was
relieved. The old man, who had been one of the seamen on board of
the Bellevite when she was a yacht, took his place forward of the
berth-sacks, and began his march athwartship.

"You know me, don't you, Boxie?" said Corny as he recognized the old
salt, who was the sheet-anchorsman of the crew, and who was generally
their spokesman.

"You will hold no conversation with the prisoner, Boxie; but you may
let them talk among themselves, and note what they say if it is of any
importance. You will be relieved with the first watch."

Ralph Pennant