sounded the call, and repeated the order, but with
no better success than before. Not another seaman appeared upon deck.

"What does this mean?" said the commodore to the captain.

"As near as I can interpret it, the greater part of the crew do not
intend to obey orders," replied Shuffles.

"It certainly looks so."

"Mr. Goodwin, will you inquire of those who obeyed the order, whether
their shipmates heard the call?" continued the captain, laboring very
hard to appear cool and collected, as a commander ought to be in every
emergency.

Paul Kendall's curiosity prompted him to follow the executive officer
to the waist, where the seamen who had obeyed the call were waiting for
orders. He was unwilling to believe the evidence of his senses, though
he knew that there was considerable disaffection on board.

"Did the rest of the crew hear the boatswain's pipe?" asked Goodwin of
the faithful few.

"Yes, sir," replied Tremere.

"Where are they now?"

"In the mess-rooms."

"Why don't they obey?"

"They say they don't want to go to sea: they say they haven't done
anything to deserve punishment, and they object to being punished,"
replied the spokesman.

"What do they mean by being punished?" asked the commodore.

"Sent to sea. Mr. Lowington promised us a trip down the Rhine; and now
that excursion is given up. The fellows say the ship is bound to
Belfast, to convey the Arbuckles home. They say they are willing to do
their duty, if they can have fair play."

"What do the seamen intend to do?" asked Paul.

"Nothing, sir. They say they will give their reasons when called upon."

"Probably they will, when called upon," said Paul, who had very high
ideas of discipline.

The executive officer returned, and explained the situation to the
captain. It was impossible to get the ship under way with less than
thirty seamen, and he felt that his powers were exhausted. Fortunately,
Mr. Lowington, who had heard the boatswain's pipe, came on deck at this
critical moment.

"Didn't I hear the boatswain's pipe?" asked the principal, surprised to
find only a few hands in the waist.

"Yes, sir; we have called all hands twice, and only about thirty answer
the call."

"It was a mistake to call more than once," replied Mr. Lowington, who
did not seem to be taken aback by the astounding intelligence. "What's
the matter?"

The captain explained, reporting the statements made by the faithful
ones in the waist.

"A mutiny, th