“The cooks and stewards will still be at large.”

“We can lock them up in the kitchen.  If they make trouble, I have a revolver,” whispered Shuffles.

“A revolver!  I won’t have anything to do with it if you are going to use pistols,” said the alarmed confederate.

“It’s only to look at; there will be no occasion to use it,” answered Shuffles, soothingly.

“There will be twelve men, besides the stewards, locked up in the main cabin.”

“That’s so.”

“How long do you suppose it would take them to break down the bulkhead between the cabin and the steerage, or to climb up through the skylight?”

“If they attempt anything of that kind, we can show them the revolver; that will quiet them.”

“You might frighten the parson in that way; but do you suppose men like Mr. Lowington, Mr. Fluxion, and Peaks, who have been in the navy so long, will be afraid of a pistol?”

“They won’t want to be shot, if they have been in the navy all their lives.”

“Then you mean to shoot them?”

“They will think we do, and it will be all the same.”

“I don’t know about this business.  I’m afraid the pistol might go off, and hurt somebody.”

“I suppose you could raise objections all night,” added Shuffles, contemptuously.  “I’m not going to have any man tyrannize over me, Wilton.  I suppose if Lowington wants to pull every fellow’s teeth out, you won’t object.”

“I’m as much opposed to his tyranny as you are, and I will do anything that is reasonable; but I want to know whether the water is hot or cold before I put my fingers into it.  What’s the use of blundering into an enterprise, and making a failure of it?”

“I have no idea of making a failure of it.  Did you ever know me to make a failure of anything that I attempted?”

“Yes, I have.”

“What?”

“You failed to get elected captain when we first came aboard of the ship.”

“That was only because we had just come on board? the fellows didn’t know me, and I didn’t know them.  We are better acquainted now, and I am just as sure of success as though we had already won it,” added Shuffles, confidently.  “I don’t believe in making failures.”

“I don’t believe there is more than one chance in ten for you to succeed,” continued the sceptic.

“There isn’t more than one chance in ten for us to fail.  You are a bird of evil omen.  You have no faith in anything; and if you are going to croak like this, I don’t want you in the Chain,” added Shuffles, petulantly.

“I’m in for it, already; and when I can see my way clearly, I shall be as strong as you are.”

“Then don’t croak any more.  We must go to work while the fever is on the fellows, and make up——­”

“In the maintop, ahoy!” shouted the master, from the waist.

“On deck!” replied Shuffles.

“Lay down from aloft!”