"Well, what's the odds?" demanded the mortified leader of the moderate
party. "They can't get the ship under way with twenty-eight much better
than with twelve. It takes thirty-two to man the capstan. What are they
doing on deck?"

"I don't know," replied Hyde. "I was going up the ladder to ascertain,
but Peaks drove me away. I heard them lowering boats, but I could not
make out what they intend to do."

"O, it's all right. You needn't fret about it," added the leader.

Probably no one was more disturbed than he. The lowering of the boats
was discussed in full, but nothing could be made of it, though Raymond
insisted that the ship could not go to sea while the boats were away.
Half an hour later they heard the faithful on deck hoisting up the
boats. Hyde stood at the door of the mess-room watching the hatchway,
for any chance revelation of the principal's intentions. The same doubt
and uncertainty, as well as curiosity in regard to the movements on
deck, prevailed in all the other mess-rooms. It had been agreed that
all hands should remain in their rooms; but this agreement was now
violated, and most of the mutineers were gathered at the doors, anxious
to obtain intelligence from the deck.

Suddenly the grating was removed from the hatch.

"All hands, up anchor, ahoy!" shouted the boatswain, for the third,
and, as it proved, the last time.

But no one came below to remonstrate, or ask for the explanation which
a majority of the rebels were now exceedingly anxious to give. The
moment the call sounded, Wilde walked towards the ladder.

"Where are you going?" demanded Raymond, angrily.

"I have had enough of this thing," he replied, and, without waiting for
any further parley, went on deck, though the rebels hissed him.

Another seaman from one of the other mess-rooms followed his example,
though Howe seized him by the collar, and attempted to detain him by
force. Fortunately he was a stout fellow, and shook off his assailant.
A storm of hisses and abuse followed him as he went up the ladder.
Doubtless this treatment of the weak-backed, as they were considered,
deterred others from imitating their example, for the faithful had only
these two added to their number.

"I'm glad we are rid of them," said Raymond. "Fellows with weak backs
don't do us any good."

"They add to our number, at any rate," replied Hyde, who, if he could
have escaped the odium of the movement, would have gone on deck
himself.

"No matt