h a condescension
which Paul did not like.

The commodore presented the delinquent to the young lady. Raymond
touched his cap, and bowed politely.

"I am very glad to see you on deck, Mr. Raymond, for I have wished to
make your acquaintance since last evening," Grace began.

"Thank you. I was not aware that I had any claims upon your
consideration."

"I see you wear no ribbon. Shall I furnish you with one?"

"I don't know what it is for?" said Raymond, glancing at the white
ribbon on the commodore's breast. "What does it mean?"

"I can't tell you anything about it just yet. I suppose you are very
sorry for what you have done."

"I feel better since I have had a drink of water," replied Raymond,
good-naturedly; and there was no doubt that he spoke the literal truth.

"I regret that it was necessary to deprive you of water."

"It was not my fault. I had nothing to do with emptying the water
tanks," pleaded the culprit. "It was the runaways who did that."

"Then you were in bad company."

"I think so myself," answered Raymond, candidly, for he was still under
the influence of the clinching argument which had induced him to come
on deck.

At this point the conversation was interrupted by the call of the
principal, who summoned the Raymond party into his presence on the
quarter-deck.

"Are you satisfied?" asked Mr. Lowington, with a pleasant smile on his
face, when the rebels had assembled before him.

"No, sir," replied Raymond, promptly, and before any other of the party
could give a different answer.

"Why did you come on deck, then?"

"We couldn't stand it any longer without water."

"Is that the reason why you came on deck?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then you may return to your former diet till you are satisfied," added
the principal, pleasantly.

"We don't wish to do that, sir."

"Didn't I understand you to say that you were not satisfied."

"I am not, sir," continued Raymond, stoutly. "I don't think it was fair
to--"

"Stop!" interposed the principal, rather sharply. "I do not purpose to
listen to your grievances. You have undertaken to redress them
yourselves, and I see no reason why you should not persevere till you
are satisfied."

"We can't live on salt junk and hard bread without any water, sir."

"Can't you, indeed? You should have thought of that before you joined
hands with those who started the water out of the tanks."

"We did not even know that they meant to start the water, or,
aft