leaping to his feet.

"Yes---and a fine fellow you are to trust!" Tom rejoined. "I leave you
with very definite orders, and you go to sleep. Then there's another
explosion out on the wall and you sleep right along."

"Another explosion?" blurted Evarts, rubbing his eyes with his fists.
"Here, let me have that wheel, sir. I'll have you out there quick!"

"You've nothing more to do here," Tom answered, dryly, without yielding
the wheel.

"What do you mean by that?" Evarts cried quickly.

"Can't you guess?" wondered Reade.

"Mr. Reade means," said Conlon, who had come forward, "that we're
fired---discharged."

"Nonsense!" protested Evarts.

"Conlon has guessed rightly, as far as you're concerned," Tom continued.
"To-morrow, Evarts, you go to Mr. Renshaw and get your pay. As for you,
Conlon, you're not discharged this time. Evarts admitted himself that it
was he who gave positive orders to tie the boat up at anchor. You were
under his orders, so I can't hold you responsible. Are you wide awake,
now?"

"Yes, sir," answered Conlon meekly.

"Then go back and attend to your engine. Look sharp for hail or bell."

"I guess you'll find you can't quite get along without me," argued Evarts
moodily. "You'll find that you need me to manage some of the men you've
got."

"You're through with this job, as I just did you the honor to inform you,"
Tom responded quietly. "To-morrow Mr. Renshaw will pay you off up to
date."

"If I'm bounced, then you'll pay me for the balance of the month, anyway!"
snarled the foreman defiantly. "You can't drop me without notice like
that."

"You'll be paid to date only," Tom retorted. "You've been discharged for
wilful and serious neglect of duty, and you're not entitled to pay for the
balance of the month."

"All right, then," retorted the other hotly. "I'll collect my money
through the courts. I'll show you!"

"Just as you please," Reade replied indifferently. "But I imagine any
court will consider seven dollars a day pretty large pay for a man who
goes to sleep on duty."

"See here, I'll---"

"You'll keep quiet, Evarts, or you'll go overboard," Reade interrupted
significantly. "I happen to know that you can swim, so I won't be
bothered with you here if you insist on making a nuisance of yourself."

Mr. Renshaw, having been relieved at the engine, now came forward.

"Mr. Renshaw," directed the young chief engineer, "as soon after daylight
as it is convenient for