y of the boats, but
Hugh Morris had an eye to the ultimate destiny of the ship.

"You're mighty particular, Morris," said Malines, with something of a
sneer in his tone, when the former drew up his boat inside the reef
beside the other boat. "One would think you were piloting a man-of-war
through instead of a little boat."

"What I was doin' is none o' your business, Malines," returned Hugh,
sternly. "Your command ceased when you lost your ship, and I ain't
agoin' to obey your orders; no, nor take any of your cheek."

"The emigrants chose to accept me as their commander, at least for the
present," retorted Malines, fiercely.

To this Hugh replied, with a laugh of scorn, that the emigrants might
make a commander of the ship's monkey for all that he cared, the
emigrants were not _his_ masters, and he would do exactly as he pleased.

As a number of his followers echoed the scornful laugh, Malines felt
that he had not the power to carry things with a high hand.

"Well, well," he returned, in a tone of quiet indifference, "we shall
see. It is quite clear to every one with a grain of sense that people
can't live comfortably under two masters; the people will have to decide
that matter for themselves before long."

"Ay, that will they, master," remarked Joe Binney, in a low but
significant voice. "Seems to me, however, that as we're all agreed
about goin' over to Big Island, we'd better go about it an' leave
disputation till afterwards."

Agreeing to this in silence, the men set about loading the boats for the
first trip.

Dominick and Otto, standing on the beach, had witnessed this
altercation.

"The seeds of much dissension and future trouble are there," remarked
the former.

"Unless we prevent the growth of the seed," said Otto.

"True, but how that is to be done does not appear obvious at present.
These men have strong wills and powerful frames, and each has a large
following, I can see that. We must hope that among the emigrants there
may be good and strong men enough to keep the crew in check."

"Luckily two of the biggest and stoutest are also the most sensible,"
said Otto.

"You mean the brothers Binney?"

"Yes, Dom. They're first-rate men, don't you think so?"

"Undoubtedly; but very ignorant, and evidently unaccustomed to lead or
command men."

"What a pity," exclaimed the boy, with a flush of sudden inspiration,
"that we couldn't make you king of the island! You're nearly as strong
as t