e eastward than we ought to be," he remarked.
"There are hereabouts strong currents setting on shore, and with the
light winds we may expect we are too likely to find ourselves hard and
fast on the African coast some night. How it has happened, I don't
know, but depend on it there is some vile treachery concocting on board.
Those villains have not abandoned their designs, as I hoped they might
have done."

This appeared very evident, and we agreed to make every preparation in
our power for any emergency which might occur, and to try and induce Dr
Cuff, Mr Vernon, and two or three other gentlemen among the passengers,
to see the state of affairs in the light we did. I have been unwilling
to sicken my readers with a repetition of the accounts of the captain
and chief mate's barbarity to the crew. Not a day passed but what they
ill-treated one or more of them, and my surprise was, not that the men
should be plotting revenge, but that they had so long endured these
sufferings.

Mr Henley undertook first to speak to Dr Cuff. The doctor, however,
made very light of his suspicions.

"Very careless steering, I have no doubt, and we have got closer to the
coast of Africa than may be altogether pleasant. No wonder at that.
Then the lad dreamed he heard the sailors plotting mutiny--that is not
surprising; they are not attractive looking fellows. Then it is not
unusual for a set of old salts to attempt to play off a trick on a young
midshipman who holds himself somewhat a cut above the common run. No
fear. All will come right at last; just do you keep the ship to the
westward for the present, and then get into Table Bay as fast as you
can. We shall have to put our noble skipper into the sick-lists there,
or I am very much mistaken."

Such was the reply the doctor made to all Mr Henley told him. His
opinion had great weight with all the other gentlemen, though Mr Vernon
did not altogether discredit my account. The result, however, of the
affair was, that no especial steps were taken to counteract the schemes
of the mutineers, if such schemes were still entertained by them. All
Mr Henley and I could do, therefore, was to keep a watchful eye on the
movements of the suspected men.

Two days after this we lay becalmed on the smooth shining ocean with all
our sails flapping against the masts, when just after daybreak a vessel
was made out to the eastward, and with a fair though light breeze
standing towards us. As she