ve warned him that he was on the
verge of committing a very grave imprudence; and, instead of striking
the blow I had expected, he turned short on his heel and walked into his
cabin. Then, and not until then--when I glanced about me and noted the
universal consternation with which I was regarded--did I fully realise
the enormity of the offence of which I had been guilty.

Captain Pigot was absent from the deck for perhaps ten minutes. When he
returned the low hum of conversation which had set in on his
disappearance abruptly ceased, and every eye was turned upon him in
anticipation of the next act in this little drama.

He had evidently made a successful effort to subdue his excitement, for
he was now, to all outward appearance, perfectly calm; this somewhat
abrupt calmness seeming to me, I must confess, even more portentous than
his recent exhibition of passion had been. Halting before me, he
pointed sternly to the hatchway, and said:

"Go below, sir; and regard yourself as under arrest. I will consider
your case by and by. So grave a dereliction of duty as that of which
you have been guilty is not to be dealt with hurriedly."

I bowed, and turned to go below; and, as I did so, I heard him say to
the first lieutenant:

"Since you, Mr Reid, appear to have taken a different view of these
men's conduct from that which I had entertained, and have, moreover,
seen fit to publicly express that view, I have no alternative but to
give the fellows the benefit of our difference of opinion, and withhold
that punishment which I still think they richly deserve. But I will
take this opportunity of explaining to you, and to every other officer
and man in this ship, that I reserve to myself the exclusive right of
expressing an opinion as to the behaviour, individually and
collectively, of those under my command; and, whatever any of you may
choose to _think_ upon such a matter, I shall expect that you will
henceforward keep your opinion strictly to yourselves. Now, let the
hands be piped down."

I had paused just below and under cover of the coamings long enough to
hear this speech to its conclusion; now, as the boatswain's pipe sent
forth its shrill sounds, I scurried off and made the best of my way to
the midshipmen's berth. I felt that I had allowed my sympathy to get
the better of my discretion, and in so doing had plunged myself into a
very awkward predicament, out of which I did not at all clearly see how
I was to