The ship did not labor in the gale as she had before the sails were reefed; and though she jumped, plunged, and rolled, making a terrific roar as she went along, everything was ship-shape about her, and the boys soon became accustomed to the exciting scene.  She was making but little headway, but she still kept within three points of her general course.  Mr. Lowington remained on deck the rest of the night, anxiously watching the ship and her crew in the trying experience of the hour.

Augustus Pelham, the discontented lieutenant, went below when his quarter watch was relieved.  The little incident, before all hands were called, between himself and the captain, had disturbed him more than he would have been willing to acknowledge.  He thought it was harsh of the captain to say anything to him, though he had broken one of the rules of the ship; and he regarded the gentle reproof he had received as a very great indignity.

He went to his state room.  The ship was rolling fearfully, and he could not stand up without holding on at the front of his berth.  Goodwin, the third lieutenant who was his room-mate, had already turned in; but it was impossible for him to sleep.  Pelham took a match from his pocket and lighted the lamp, which swung on gimbals in the room.

“What are you doing, Pelham?” demanded Goodwin “It is against the rule to light a lamp after ten o’clock.”

“I know it; but I’m not going to blunder round here, and have my brains knocked out in the dark,” growled Pelham.

“Put the light out; you will get into trouble,” remonstrated his room-mate.

“I won’t do it.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Go to sleep, Goodwin, and don’t bother me.”

“What’s the matter, Pelham?  What ails you?  I never knew you to think of breaking one of the rules before.”

“I should like to break them all, as Moses did the ten commandments.  I have been insulted.”

“Who insulted you?”

“The captain.”

“Gordon?” asked Goodwin, in astonishment

“Yes.”

“I never knew him to do such a thing as that.  I think you didn’t understand him; or he must have been excited by the gale.”

“It was before it came on to blow very hard,” replied Pelham, seating himself on a stool, and bracing his feet against the front of the berth to prevent being thrown down.

“What did he do?”

“He snubbed me, told me I knew the rule, and was as overbearing as though I had been his servant, instead of an officer of the ship.”

“But what did you do?  He wouldn’t have done anything of the kind if you hadn’t given him some provocation.”

“I told the quartermaster, when the wind was heading off the ship, to alter the course.”

“Didn’t you tell the captain beforehand?”

“Not I.”

“Then I don’t blame him for snubbing you.  What’s the use of being captain if the officers don’t obey you?”