movements of the boatswain.

"I'm going to make a trip down to the Baltic, to see what I can see,"
replied Peaks.

"Are you going for the fun of it?"

"Well, that depends upon how you view it. I suppose you are going for
the fun of it, whether I am or not."

"But we would like to know what is up," added Sanford.

"Young gentlemen should not be inquisitive," laughed the old salt.

"Because, if you are going out to meet the ship, in order to put us on
board--"

"I'm not going for any such purpose," interposed the boatswain. "I
shouldn't take all that trouble on your account."

"But where are you going?"

"That's my affair, my lad."

"We don't mean to give you any trouble on our account," said Sanford,
who could not readily dispossess himself of the belief that the
expedition was to put his party on board of the ship when she hove in
sight.

"Of course you don't, my tender lambs. You have been so anxious to
find the ship, and get on board, it would be cruel to suspect you of
any mischief," laughed Peaks.

"But, honor bright, Mr. Peaks, whatever we intended, we are ready now
to do just what you say, and return to the ship as soon as we can."

"You are all nice boys. You have had a good time, and I think you
ought to be satisfied."

"We are satisfied; but I suppose we shall have no liberty again, after
we go on board."

"Perhaps you will; the principal isn't hard with the boys when they
come right square up to the mark; but you can't humbug him."

"But, honestly, Mr. Peaks, we tried to find the ship, and--"

"There, there, lads," interposed the boatswain, "I don't believe you
will have any liberty."

"Why not?"

"Because you want to humbug the principal; and me, too--but that's no
account. If you want to make the best of it, toe the mark. Don't have
any lies in your heart or on your tongue. Tell the whole truth, and
you will make more by it; but tell the truth whether you make anything
or not."

"You won't believe anything we say," protested Sanford.

"Of course I won't, when you are lying. I call things by their right
names."

"We didn't stave the boat at Christiansand."

"Yes, you did," replied Peaks, plumply.

"If you think so, it's no use talking."

"Certainly not; don't talk, then."

Sanford was not prepared for so grave a charge as that of causing the
accident to the second cutter; and if the principal was of the same
mind as the boatswain, the case would go hard with the runaways. T