ght that Captain Roderick was perfectly mad, and I also was
very unwilling to injure a brother of Mr Trunnion's, villain as he was.

"If he is really mad, he will not know what has happened," said Charley.
"The best thing you can do is to return on deck, and try and negotiate
yourself with the mate, who has now the command, and will probably wish
to keep it. Tell him that I am your brother, and as he has no one on
board who understands navigation, that I shall be happy to assist him in
navigating the ship; that we have no wish to inform against him and his
men if we obtain our liberty, and that all we request is that he will
set us on shore at the first place we touch at."

This seemed the only feasible plan, and Harry and I set off to try and
find Tubbs and consult him, while Charley and the lieutenant returned to
the cabin in which they had been confined. Harry and I, as agreed on,
went on deck.

Our absence had not been discovered. Slowly groping now on one side,
now on the other, we at length discovered Tubbs. Taking him by the arm,
I led him away apart from where any one was standing.

"To my mind, sir, the mate will be very much obliged to you for what you
have done. He has no wish to give up the command, I can see that; and
if you can persuade Captain Roderick--should he come to his senses--that
such is the case, we should have him on our side. I suspect, also, that
there are two or three of the `Rover's' men who are sorry for their
conduct, and would join us. The truth is, I believe, when Captain
Roderick is in his right mind, that he wishes he had a better calling,
but when the mad fit comes over him, he goes back to his bad ways."

"That may be true," I could not help remarking, "but it is no excuse for
him; he must have an evilly-disposed mind to have taken to such a
calling; he should seek for strength from Heaven to overcome his wicked
propensities. Even the worst men at times regret the harm they have
done on account of the inconvenience and suffering it has caused them,
but the next time temptation is presented they commit the same crime,
and so it goes on to the end."

It was settled, therefore, that the next day Harry and I should go
boldly up to the mate and speak to him as agreed on, while we were to
see that no one in the meantime came down to set the captain at liberty,
though, as Tubbs observed, "The mate would take very good care of that."

Soon after this a fresh watch was set, and