don't think Shuffles made
much by what he did. I don't believe any fellow makes anything by being
a hypocrite, and selling out his friends."

"I don't think so, either. But you certainly cannot mean to say that
Captain Shuffles is a hypocrite, or that he ever betrayed his friends?"

"I suppose I ought not to say anything to you about it, knowing that he
is a strong friend of yours."

"Whatever you say, Mr. Perth, shall not be repeated. I have been told
that some of the officers are opposed to the new captain; and I do not
see how it can be true, when he is so noble and good."

"Noble and good!" ejaculated Perth.

"Certainly. You know what he did for me on the night the steamer was
burned."

"There isn't a fellow on board that would not have given all he had for
a chance to do the same thing for you," protested Perth.

"But all the students like him."

"I don't believe he has twenty friends in the ship."

"Then they do not know him as I do," replied Grace, indignantly.

"They know him better than you do. He's smart, and a good officer; but
when you have said that, you have said all that can be said," continued
Perth, bluntly.

"I am sorry to hear you say so," added Grace, really grieved, even
while she was incredulous. "I am afraid you are prejudiced against him
because he broke up your plan to run away with the Josephine."

"He didn't break it up. Our fellows disagreed among themselves; that's
the reason why we had to come back," explained Perth, whose pride did
not permit him to acknowledge that he had been beaten by the superior
skill and energy of Shuffles. "Now, all the fellows are on the very
verge of mutiny, because he insists upon taking the ship to sea,
instead of going down the Rhine."

"I'm sure he is doing no more than his duty," persisted Grace, stoutly.
"It appears that Mr. Lowington thinks he is right, or he would not send
the ship to sea. I am really sorry to hear you speak so unkindly of
your captain, for I must say that I cannot believe a word you say about
him."

"Thank you," replied Perth, dryly.

"I think you are sincere in your belief," added she. "Paul Kendall says
that the captain is right."

"Well, he is commodore, you know, and must believe everything the
principal says," laughed Perth. "It is not quite proper for any of us
to have opinions of our own, but you see some of us have them."

Perth was certainly good-natured, whatever else he was, and as Grace
said no more, he t