les remained on deck all
night, but no emergency occurred which required the exercise of more
than ordinary skill and energy. The wind was blowing a gale, though not
a very severe one. All the students on board had been in worse weather,
and it produced no excitement whatever.

At seven bells in the morning, the port watch was called to breakfast,
according to the regular routine of the ship. The meal consisted of
coffee, beefsteak, fried potatoes, and the rolls which had been baked
the preceding afternoon. Peaks and the head steward were in the
steerage, and when some of the runaways appeared, and attempted to seat
themselves at the mess tables, they were forbidden to do so. Only those
decorated with white or blue ribbons were allowed to breakfast. At
eight bells the port watch went on deck, and the starboard, relieved
from duty, came down to their morning meal, when the tables had been
reset. A fresh supply of hot steaks and potatoes was brought from the
kitchen, for the breakfast of each watch was cooked separately, and
they fared precisely as the other watch had. The rebels were still
excluded from the mess tables, and violent was the grumbling thereat.

When the regular breakfast was finished, the tables were again cleared,
and the mutineers began to think they were to be starved into
subjection; but they were mistaken, in part, at least, for the tables
were again set. This time there were no hot beefsteaks, no fresh rolls,
no fried potatoes, no coffee--nothing but cold corned beef and hard
tack. None of the cooks or stewards said anything, no one made any
remarks of any kind. There was the breakfast--salt junk and hard
tack--regular sailor's fare. The head steward mildly indicated that
breakfast was ready for those who had not already been served. The two
parties of rebels seated themselves, and turned up their noses at the
fare.

"Steward, bring me a mug of coffee," shouted Howe to the nearest
waiter.

"It takes water to make coffee," replied the man, solemnly, and as he
had doubtless been instructed to answer.

"What if it does? Bring me some coffee," repeated Howe, angrily.

"No coffee for this crowd," interposed the head steward, as solemnly.

"But I'm going to have my coffee," added Wilton, whose temper was not
the sweetest in the world, as he rose from his stool, and rushed
towards the kitchen door.

"Avast, my lad!" said Peaks, taking the rebel by the collar with no
gentle force. "It takes water t