ne who could save him from the punishment
he was about to receive. Not a glance of pity did he get from his
messmates. They knew him too well. At last he looked towards Iffley.
I saw them exchange glances. Iffley, of course, did not speak, but his
looks said something which gave the other courage.

"Captain," said the man, turning round to our captain, "you are going to
make the innocent suffer for the guilty. I wanted to shield a shipmate;
but he will be found out at last, I know, and I shall only suffer
without doing any one any good, otherwise I could have borne the
punishment willingly."

I at the time thought that the man spoke in that whining tone which a
person in spite of himself uses when he is uttering a falsehood, or
saying what has been put into his mouth by another.

"Cast him loose," said the captain; "I'll inquire into this. Bring him
aft here. Now tell me at once who is the man who has committed this
theft, if you are not guilty of it."

"I'd rather not say, sir," replied the culprit. "I don't like to peach
on another. He'll be found out before the day is over, and then I
shan't be accused of having told of him."

"That excuse will not serve your turn, my man," answered the captain
sternly. "Unless you can point out the real culprit, you will have to
suffer the punishment awarded you."

"Oh no, sir, I'd rather not. Do not be hard on me. I don't like to
hurt another man, even to save myself," again whined out the man. "Let
me off, sir, let me off, and the real thief will be found--that he will;
you have my word for it."

"Trice him up again," said the captain to the boatswain. "The true
thief is about to be punished, I am very certain of that."

"I'll tell, sir, I'll tell!" shrieked out the wretched man. "He's one
who has been skulking his duty ever since he came on board. I'd rather
not speak his name."

The captain shook his head, and made a sign to the boatswain to proceed.

"Well, if I must tell," cried out the man, Saull Ley by name, "the thief
is Will Weatherhelm."

I almost fainted when I heard the accusation, and I am sure that I must
have looked as guilty as if I had committed the theft.

A triumphant smile flitted across Iffley's features, and he passed the
knotted tails of his cat, as if mechanically, through his fingers, while
he cast a glance at me which I too well understood. The captain turned
towards me.

"What is this I hear?" he asked. "Do you acknowledg