poor fellow's face was streaming with blood, and Mont's
anger arose instantly.

Rushing forward, he seized the captain's arm, and exclaimed:

"Stop that--I won't have it!"

The next moment he was alarmed at his rashness.

Turning upon him with incredible fury, the captain exclaimed:

"How dare you speak to me, youngster! I'll break every bone in your
body!"

At a sign from the first mate, on whose face sat a smile of malicious
satisfaction, four men fell upon Mont, whose arms were pinioned, and he
was thrown on his back, where he lay perfectly helpless.

"Take him away," continued Captain Savage. "I will deal with him
presently. It's a pity I took the young whelp on board; he should have
drowned if I'd have known what he was made of."

Strong arms lifted Mont up, and he was forced into a dark hole, near the
cook's galley, where he was half stifled with the heat and smell of tar.

Mont felt he was now in for it, and no mistake.

CHAPTER VIII.

MONT IS PUNISHED.

"Hang the luck, anyway!"

In a miserable state of mind, but still very angry, Mont sat down in his
gloomy prison, and wondered what would happen next.

An hour later the captain called up the first mate.

"Let the prisoner be brought forward, and call the hands to witness
punishment; muster them all. I mean to make an example."

The mate summoned the crew, all of whom trooped forward with a sullen
and discontented air.

The first mate went to Mont, and personally conducted him on deck.

"Now, my lad," said the captain, with a brutal air, "I'm going to let
you know what discipline is. Strip!"

Looking around him defiantly, Mont did not move.

"Do you hear me?" thundered the captain. "Strip!"

"Captain Savage," said Mont quietly, "I protest against this treatment.
You saved my life and the lives of my companions, for which I thank you.
We would leave your ship at once if we could. As it is, we are unwilling
passengers."

"You are a part of the crew, and must work out your passage."

"Not at all. We have not signed articles, and you have no power over us
so long as we conduct ourselves properly."

"Why did you interfere between me and one of my crew? But I'll waste no
words with you," replied the captain. "Tie him to the foremast."

He caught up the rope's end and hit Mont a single blow.

He was about to go on, when the sailors advanced in a body, and formed a
line between him and Mont.

"Back, you scoundrels! Back, mutinou