rand Protectress was elected, the hilarious mirth of
the Faithful was positively sickening to the rebels. Those on deck
appeared to be making fun of those below, for what else could they be
laughing at, since the refusal of the rebels to do duty must be the
all-absorbing topic on board? The situation was very unsatisfactory to
the mild mutineers, and not very hopeful to the runaways.

"Let them laugh," said Raymond, whistling up his courage, so that he
could maintain the dignity and firmness of a leader. "If we hold out,
we shall carry our point. I have looked at the tell-tale, and the ship
is headed to the north-west. If the course means anything, it means
Belfast."

"What's the use of talking?" exclaimed Johnson. "The plan I proposed is
the only one now. I move you we send a messenger to the principal."

"You can't get on deck," retorted Raymond.

"We can hail some one on deck, or knock at the door of the main cabin."

"It looks like backing out," added Lindsley.

"That is what we shall have to do in the end, and we may as well do it
first as last," said Hyde.

"Hold on! Here comes Howe," continued Lindsley. "Let us hear what he
has to say."

"I don't care what he says," muttered Hyde, who, like many other of the
mild rebels, was not willing to join hands with the virulent and
intense ones.

"I say, fellows, we are not making much on this tack," Howe began, as
he joined the group at the door of the mess-room. "We are going to have
a meeting abaft the foremast, to decide what shall be done next. All
hands are invited."

Howe moved on to extend the invitation to others.

CHAPTER VII.

THE VISIT TO THE HOLD.

"I don't attend any meeting with those fellows," said the prudent Hyde,
as the rebels began to gather at the place indicated.

"There is no harm in hearing what they have to say," replied Lindsley.

"I don't care what they have to say. I won't have anything to do with
them. In my opinion they are trying to get us all into a scrape."

"You are in one now, and you may as well be hung for an old sheep as a
lamb."

"I would rather be hung for a lamb," answered Hyde, turning on his
heel, and walking as far from the foremast as the limits of the
steerage would permit.

About a dozen others followed his example, for the meeting was
understood to be called by the runaways, who represented the most
virulent type of rebellion. They had already lost all their privileges
for the season, which cou