ldly faced the
angry ruler and defied him. Every one expected to see Spitfire follow
Dick Swan, and in similar fashion, but they were mistaken. They did not
yet understand Grummidge.

"Well, Spitfire, what's your objection to my keeping order?" he said, in
a voice so gentle that the other took heart.

"My objection," he said, "is that when you was appinted capting there
was no vote taken. You was stuck up by your own friends, an' that ain't
fair, an' I, for one, refuse to knuckle under to 'ee. You may knock me
down if you like, for I ain't your match by a long way, but you'll not
prove wrong to be right by doin' that."

"Well spoken, Master Spitfire!" exclaimed a voice from the midst of the
crowd that encircled the speakers.

"Well spoken, indeed," echoed Grummidge, "and I thank _you_, Master
Spitfire, for bringin' this here matter to a head. Now, lads," he
added, turning to the crowd, "you have bin wrong an' informal, so to
speak, in your proceedin's when you appinted me governor o' this here
colony. There's a right and a wrong in everything, an' I do believe,
from the bottom of my soul, that it's--that it's--that--well, I ain't
much of a dab at preaching as _you_ know, but what I would say is this--
it's right to do right, an' it ain't right for to do wrong, so we'll
krect this little mistake at once, for I have no wish to rule, bless
you! Now then, all what's in favour o' my bein' gov'nor, walk to the
end o' the room on my right hand, an' all who wants somebody else to
be--Spitfire, for instance--walk over to where Dick Swan is a-sittin'
enjo'in' of hisself."

Immediately three-fourths of the crew stepped with alacrity to the
right. The remainder went rather slowly to the left. "The Grummidges
has won!" cried Squill, amid hearty laughter.

The ruler himself made no remark whatever, but, seating himself in a
corner of the hut, resumed the game which had been interrupted, quite
assured that the game of insubordination was finally finished.

The day following that on which the reign of King Grummidge was
established, a new member of considerable interest was added to the
colony. Blaze, Stubbs, and Squill chanced to be out that day along the
shore. Squill, being in a meditative mood, had fallen behind his
comrades. They had travelled further than usual, when the attention of
the two in front was attracted by what seemed to them the melancholy
howling of a wolf. Getting their bows ready, they advanced