aw why he had been sent up the river on a perilous errand,
and why he and his companions were so readily deserted on the first
inkling that a sloop of war was near.

Gary's unchanging severity and dislike were explained, and as the boy
contrasted his present treatment with the honeyed manner which had so
deceived him in Savannah, he felt that he was justified in using any
means to counteract such methods.

As he flung the letter down, a slight noise made him turn. Duff was
standing at the door.

Ralph, feeling that here was his best friend aboard, resolved to
acquaint the mate with all that had occurred relating to Shard's and
Gary's conspiracy against himself. This he did as briefly as possible,
clinching his remarks by holding out the letter.

"I won't read it, though it's right enough you should, seeing it
concerns your safety," replied Duff. "I'm in disgrace, too, so it
might be a good plan for us to stick together--for self preservation, I
mean. We don't want to hurt any one, unless they try to hurt us.
We're scarce in water, and that cruiser ain't going to let us back to
the coast again. You can bank your life on that.

"Captain is in his worst mood, and he ain't likely to get better.
He'll begin on the crew next. They say he is a perfect fiend for
punishment once he gets mad all through. These poor niggers will keep
him half crazy as their want of water grows, and the hot calms strike
us in the doldrums. It's my frank opinion, lad, that we'll be having a
little floating place of torment of our own here before many days have
passed."

The captain's voice hurled down the companionway, interrupted them
harshly.

"He wants his glass," said Ralph, seizing the instrument in question.
"I must go."

"Well," concluded Duff as he returned to his own stateroom, "lay low
and look out for squalls. That's all we can do at present."

When Ralph returned to the deck the wind was stiffening to a gale, and
half a dozen men were putting a single reef into the mainsail, while
several more were laying out along the bowsprit doing the same office
for one of the jibs.

The outermost one, called the flyaway, was being furled, though the
sailor stretched out upon the stay beneath the bowsprit was drenched by
each downward plunge of the schooner's bow. The Adams still carried a
heavy press of canvas, though black specks of men could be seen on the
yards shortening the loftier sails. The larger vessel rode the risin