the josephine still sped on her course, southwest by west; and still the mystery of her destination remained unsolved. little was hopeful, while ibbotson was despondent. mr. fluxion planked the quarter-deck as industriously as though he were walking on a wager, or had the dyspepsia, which could only be cured by plenty of exercise.

"what do you suppose this means?" said perth, when the port watch had gone below.

"i don't know: it's a poser to me," replied herman, as he seated himself under the shelter of the top-gallant forecastle. "but i can't think it is anything more than a short cruise for the sake of the discipline."

"it can't be a long cruise, for no provisions and water were taken in," added perth. "i think, if we behave first rate, we shall return to brest in a day or two."

"we will be as proper as the lambs themselves."

"how is it about fluxion's going to italy?" asked perth.

"i know only what the fellows say. everybody believes that he has to go there to see some friend who is sick."

"where are we going, mr. briskett?" inquired perth, as the head steward came forward to take a look ahead.

"going to sea," replied he.

"where are we bound?"

"bound to sea."

"but how long are we to be out?" persisted perth.

"well, i don't know; but i am fully of the opinion that we shall be out till we go into port again."

"won't you tell us, mr. briskett?" interposed herman.

"tell you what?"

"where the vessel is going."

"going to sea," answered the head steward, good-naturedly; for he rather enjoyed the perplexity of the crew.

"is there any secret about the ship's destination?"

"you must ask mr. fluxion. he is on the quarterdeck, and i dare say he will be very happy to give you any information he thinks it is proper for you to have."

mr. briskett, having taken his long look ahead, turned on his heel, and went aft again.

"where are we going, mr. bitts?" said herman, to the carpenter, who had been within hearing during the dialogue with the head steward.

"going to sea."

"yes; but where are we bound?"

"bound to sea."

"but how long are we to be out?"

"well, i've boxed the compass, taken an observation, worked up an altitude, swung six and cast out nine,—and i've made up my mind that we shall be out till we return to port again. i may be wrong, but you can figure it up for yourself."

"o, come! is there any secret about the vessel's destination?" added herman.

"there's mr. fluxion, wearing out the planks of the quarter-deck. he's a good sailor, and a gentleman from his top-lights down to his keelson; and if you ask him, he'll tell you all he has a mind to."

"if he's a gentleman, i hope the forward officers will take lessons of him," added herman, disgusted with the conduct of the carpenter.

"i shall, for one; for we have so many unlicked cubs on board now, that i am afraid my manners have suffered by being among them," laughed bitts. "but do you really want to know where we are going, young gentlemen?"

"i do, for one," replied perth, promptly.

"you won't say a word if i tell you—eh?" added bitts, very seriously.

"not a word."

"well, we are bound down to the coast of africa to get a cargo of gorillas. mr. fluxion is going into the show business."

"you get out!" exclaimed perth, vexed to find himself "sold."

"i don't know but the plan was changed," continued the carpenter. "some of them were afraid we might get things mixed on board; and after we got the cargo in, we couldn't tell the gorillas from the runaways."

bitts thought he had said a clever thing; and, chuckling at his own wit, he turned on his heel, and walked aft to the waist.

"it's no use to ask them anything," said herman.

"i suppose we may as well keep still, and wait till something turns up," added perth.

"i don't see that we can do anything else."

"unless we start the water in the tanks," suggested perth.

"and have our own supply cut off. i had enough of that sort of thing in the ship. if we don't behave well, the first thing fluxion will do will be to put us on salt horse and hard bread."

"we won't do anything yet. in my opinion, we shall go into port in a day or two."

at eight bells the starboard watch were piped to dinner, being relieved by the port watch. the wind continued fresh and fair; and the josephine flew on her course, logging from ten to twelve knots all day. the portion of the crew off duty were not required to recite any lessons, or do anything else. the severe course of study to which mr. fluxion had subjected them, during the absence of the rest of the company in france and switzerland, had enabled them to make up all deficient lessons. the principal had requested mr. fluxion not to assign any studies to his charge, unless it became necessary to do so in order to keep them out of mischief. the crew were to serve in quarter watches, from eight at night till eight in the forenoon, though the acting watch officers were to serve full time.

night came on with the breeze freshening, and the top-gallant-sail was furled. the josephine then had all she could carry, for mr. fluxion was not a fair-weather sailor, and always crowded on all the vessel would stagger under. the wind was more to the eastward than when the schooner left brest, which still kept it fair. at eight bells in the evening, the first part of the starboard watch took the deck; and the night wore away without any exciting incident to break the monotony. peaks and cleats were thorough seamen, and being in authority, they compelled every seaman to do his duty.

the sea was rough in the bay of biscay, and the josephine, though she made good weather of it, was rather wet on deck. but she was making a splendid voyage so far. on the forenoon of the second day out, perth and herman, having the watch below, had another discussion in regard to the probable length of the cruise. the vessel was still headed away from brest; and even if she put about then, it might take her two or three days to work back to the port where they had left the ship. the prospect was decidedly sickening. the josephine was far out of sight of land, and still headed south-west by west. the officers were as taciturn as on the previous day, so far as the destination of the vessel was concerned, though they were very considerate in every other respect. there was nothing to do after the decks had been washed down in the morning. the wind was a little lighter, and, in addition to the top-gallant-sail, the fore square-sail was set, so that her speed was at no time less than ten knots, and most of the time it was twelve.

"what do you make of it now, little?" said ibbotson, just before noon on the second day out. "do you think we shall get back to brest in a day or two?"

"of course we shall."

"bah! what's the use of talking? we couldn't beat back to brest now in three days."

"perhaps we shall make some other port in france," suggested little, with a sickly smile.

"what! steering south-west by west? not much! i tell you we are homeward bound."

"nonsense! not unless we are going by the way of cape horn, behring's straits, and the north-west passage! keep cool, ibbotson; we shall come out right yet."

"but we are sold. lowington has the weather-gage of us, and we are beaten at our own game."

"not yet."

"yes, we are. we shall not see the coast of france again this year. i'll bet you fluxion's starboard whisker, our cruise for this season is up."

"don't croak."

they all croaked when the vessel had been out thirty hours, and was still persistently headed to the south-west. the day wore wearily away, crowded with doubt, anxiety, and perplexity to the runaways. at three in the afternoon, when the starboard watch were on deck, peaks, by order of mr. fluxion, stationed a lookout in the fore-top. perth and herman were the first to do this duty.

"i suppose our game is all up," said the latter, as they seated themselves in the top.

"it don't look very hopeful; but i suppose we are going somewhere," replied perth. "when we make a port, i'm off, if i have to swim ashore."

"i'm with you; but those five-pound notes will suffer in the water."

"i will look out for them," answered perth, grating his teeth with anger. "i think we are reduced to common sailors, and i can't stand it."

"one thing is certain; we can't help ourselves. if fluxion chooses to go round the world with us, we can't do anything but submit."

"i'm not so sure of that. when we find out where he is going, we can figure up what it is best to do. we are not babies, and thirty-one of us can do something. but we will keep still till we ascertain where we are going."

"look ahead!" said herman, pointing a little over the port bow. "isn't that land?"

"it looks like it; but don't say anything yet."

"what can it be?" asked herman.

"it is cape ortegal, if it is anything, on the northwest corner of spain. we can tell, in a few hours after we come up with the cape, how they head her."

they watched the dark, hazy line for half an hour longer, and then shouted, "land, ho!" the announcement made a sensation among the runaways, but it afforded no revelation of the purposes of the vice-principal. still the josephine sped on her way, and in a few hours was up with cape ortegal. she kept on the same course, with the coast of spain in sight, till dark. mr. fluxion remained on deck; for he attended to the navigation himself. at twelve o'clock at night, the first part of the port watch came on deck, and little and ibbotson tried to ascertain where they were. the tell-tale still indicated southwest by west as the course. a bright light on the shore bore south-east by south. mr. fluxion watched the light and the compass.

"keep her south-west by south," said he to the hands at the wheel.

"south-west by south," repeated one of the seamen.

"trim the sails, mr. peaks," added the vice-principal.

"ay, ay! sir. man the fore-sheet! now walk away with it! avast! belay!" said the acting first officer; and the manœuvre was repeated upon the mainsail.

the yards were trimmed for the new course, and there was nothing more to be done. the seamen not occupied at the helm, or on the lookout, stowed themselves away in comfortable places.

"we are going nearly south now," said ibbotson, as he and little seated themselves under the weather rail.

"south-west by south," added little, gloomily; for even he had almost lost hope.

"i heard perth say there were over two points and a half variation; and that makes the course about south by west. where do you suppose we are bound?"

"i can't guess. i suppose we shall fetch up somewhere. when we do, i'm off as soon as the mud-hook finds bottom. i'm not sure that i shall wait till we go into port," added little, desperately.

"why, what can you do?"

"we are not more than ten or fifteen miles from the coast of spain. if we could only drop a boat into the water, i would risk getting ashore."

"you can't do that."

"fluxion has turned in now. cleats and bitts have the next watch," continued little, suggestively.

"they won't let you off."

"bitts goes to sleep; and cleats may go below for something," said little, dropping his voice to a whisper. "we will talk it over to-morrow with perth and herman."

"but you can't do anything."

"perhaps we can," answered the little villain; but there was not much of his usual elasticity of spirits in his tones.

ibbotson had no faith, and did not even care to talk about what seemed to him such an impracticable scheme. at four bells they were relieved, and the night wore away without any incident. all the following day the josephine kept in about the same position with regard to the shore, running rapidly to the southward. mr. fluxion "made no sign," and the acting officers were as reticent as ever.

"perth, i have an idea," said little, as they met on deck.

"so have i," replied the disgusted leader of the runaways. "i have an idea that we are going round the world. this is our third day out, and no signs of turning back."

"i mean that i have a plan."

"you always have a plan," added perth, with a sickly grin.

"if you don't want to hear it, all right; but i mean to get out of this scrape, if i can."

"so do i. if we don't do something we shall be the laughing-stock of the whole ship's company, if we ever join them again, of which i have some doubts. lowington has hauled us up to the bull-ring this time, if he never did before. he has the weather-gage of us."

"that's so."

"if you have a plan, let's hear it."

"o, i won't trouble you with it. you don't think much of my plans."

"yes, i do. i regard you as a genius in that line. you gave us the plan by which we got off in the josephine."

"this little thing is for our four fellows only," continued little, mollified by the credit awarded to him.

"all right; propel."

"we are only ten or fifteen miles from land. this is portugal off here, i suppose."

"yes; we shall be off cape roca to-night, if the wind keeps up, and i think we go within five or six miles of the shore."

"so much the better."

"well, what's up?" asked perth, with a yawn which indicated that he had not much hope of any scheme.

"cleats and bitts will be on the mid watch to-night. i notice that cleats goes into the cabin once or twice in our quarter watch, and i suppose he does in yours."

"yes, after his coffee, i suppose. he always comes back eating a biscuit."

"just so; and bitts goes to sleep."

"not often."

"i've seen him asleep."

"the officers on duty have to keep on their feet all the time," said perth.

"no matter if they do. bitts leans against the foremast, and goes to sleep. he isn't used to being on watch lately."

"well, go ahead."

"when peaks goes below, we will draw the slide on him, and lock him into the cabin," added little.

"good! go on," replied perth, beginning to be interested. "bitts is still on deck."

"pass a line around him, and make him fast to the foremast while he is asleep."

"it will be apt to wake him."

"no matter; he is fast."

"he will make a noise."

"but the other officers are locked into the cabin."

"it might work. what then?"

"lower the second cutter, and go ashore."

"they would pick us up as soon as they broke out of the cabin. the other fellows would work against us if we don't take them with us."

"well, make a big thing of it, and take all the fellows and all the boats," said the accommodating little villain.

"that would do better; and there isn't a fellow on board who isn't up to such a move."

"that's so."

"it will take some time to work up the idea, though we have the steerage all to ourselves," added perth, musing.

the conspirators discussed the scheme at every opportunity during the day, and imparted it to the rest of the crew. some of them suggested objections, but all of them were willing to take part in the enterprise, for they were so utterly disgusted with the course of mr. fluxion, that anything was preferable to submission.

"suppose we get ashore," said sheffield. "we shall be in portugal, perhaps fifty miles from any large place."

"cape roca isn't twenty miles from lisbon," replied perth. "we can walk that distance in a day."

"what are you going to do in lisbon? not one of us can speak a word of portuguese."

"we can do just the same as we should have done in brest, and raise money on our letters of credit, and get to paris. we can take a steamer back to brest. the fare will not be more than ten dollars apiece in the fore cabin."

"why not wait till we see where we are going?" suggested sheffield.

"it may be too late then," answered perth. "if fluxion should suddenly head the vessel to the westward, that would mean home. the cook says we have fresh provisions enough for thirty days, which they took in while we were attending lecture."

"does he know where we are bound?"

"no; or if he does, he won't say anything."

"i don't believe in landing at any such place as lisbon, or anywhere in portugal; though, of course, i will do what the rest of the fellows wish."

perth and little were too impatient to postpone the enterprise, though they acknowledged the difficulty of landing in portugal. they worked up the details of the plan, and a part was assigned to each of the runaways. phillips was to secure bitts, with the assistance of half a dozen others. perth was to close the companion way, lock it, and also drive a nail into the slide to make it sure. greenway was to cover and secure the sky-lights. herman was to fasten the door leading from the cabin to the steerage with a handspike. ibbotson was to bar the door of the forecastle, where the cooks and under stewards slept. others were to back the head sails, so as to lay to the vessel; and when all these things had been done, the boats were to be lowered,—the places of all the party having been assigned to them,—and they were to pull for the shore.

the night came on, and the light on cape roca was identified by perth, at four bells; but a fog set in from seaward, and he decided that it was not prudent to take to the boats under such circumstances, for the reason that the boat compasses were in the cabin, and could not be obtained. at seven bells on saturday morning the josephine was off cape st. vincent.

"keep her south-east," said mr. fluxion to the quarter-master at the wheel, when the headland bore north-east from the vessel.

"south-east!" exclaimed perth, when the order had been repeated. "that means the straits of gibraltar. fellows, we are bound up the mediterranean."

"what does it mean?" inquired herman.

"fluxion is going to italy," replied the leader, bitterly. "he is taking us with him!"

perth's conclusion was passed along till every seaman on board understood it. the mystery was solved at last. there could be no doubt of the correctness of the solution, and great were the wrath and indignation of the runaways. it was abominable to compel them, the sons of gentlemen, to work the vessel as foremast hands, while she was employed on mr. fluxion's private business. it was an insult to them, an insult to their parents, and an outrage upon humanity in general. it was not to be endured, and rebellion was a duty. little's plan was in higher favor than ever.

the wind was light, and the vessel, close-hauled, made but five and six knots during the day. at night she was out of sight of land. all day sunday she made but little progress, and lay in a calm for several hours. towards night, however, a fresh westerly wind came to her aid, and on monday morning the crew saw the mountains of europe and africa vying with each other in sublimity, though they were too sour to appreciate the grandeur of the scene. the vessel hugged the spanish shore, and perth was on the lookout for an opportunity to spring the trap; but the sea was so rough and choppy, and the current so swift, that he was not willing to embark in the boats. it looked altogether too perilous. besides, bitts did not lean against the mast and go to sleep, and cleats sent a hand down to bring up his luncheon, and the vice-principal staid on deck nearly all night.

"i think fluxion smells a mice," said perth, the next day.

"why so?" asked little.

"because he stays on deck more than half the night."

"he is anxious about the navigation, perhaps."

"it is plain sailing here," added perth. "i think he has seen our fellows talking together a great deal."

that was really the case. the vice-principal understood boys thoroughly. he had observed the earnest talks among little squads, and cautioned the acting officers to be very vigilant. it is enough to say that no opportunity was presented for carrying out the scheme of little, and the josephine came to anchor in the harbor of genoa, ten days after she sailed from brest. if the runaways had been in a proper frame of mind to enjoy it, there was a great deal to be seen; but they were too much taken up with their grievances to appreciate strange sights or beautiful scenery.

as soon as the schooner came to anchor, three of the four boats were hauled in, and lowered to the deck, where they were turned over to be painted. bitts and gage rowed the vice-principal ashore, while peaks and cleats, laying aside the dignity of their temporary positions, went to work scraping and painting the bottoms of the boats, which seemed to have been removed from the davits solely for the purpose of preventing any of the crew from escaping. mr. fluxion was absent only an hour, and during his absence dr. carboy watched the students every moment of the time.

the next morning a shore boat brought off a pale lady, who was understood to be the vice-principal's sister. they spent the whole forenoon in the cabin; but in the afternoon they went on shore together, to draw up and execute certain papers. perth, in behalf of the crew, asked permission of mr. fluxion, just as he was departing, to go on shore.

"quite impossible, young gentlemen," replied the vice-principal. "they are painting the boats, which are not in condition to be used. besides, there is hardly time, for i hope we shall be able to sail before night."

perth was very angry, and so were all the others, though they hardly expected the desired permission. mr. fluxion went on shore with the pale lady, and dr. carboy, peaks, and cleats watched the crew with argus eyes. it was of no use for little to fall overboard, for there was no boat to send after him. perth was not quite willing to attempt a swim to the shore, for a fresh south-west wind kept up an ugly swell in that part of the port where the josephine was anchored. shore boats were driven from alongside by peaks. in a word, mr. fluxion understood his crew, and knew what he was about. with a ship's company who had been desperate enough to capture the vessel on a former occasion, he was wise enough to keep everything taut. so the runaways could only grumble and growl, and watch the steamers which were constantly arriving and departing.

before sundown mr. fluxion returned alone. he had finished his business with his sister, and the order was given to get under way, after the boats had all been restored to the davits. there was no chance to execute any of the desperate schemes which had been adopted. discipline was triumphant, and the josephine sped on her way to the straits of gibraltar. four days out, cape antonio, on the coast of spain, was sighted, and for the next two days the vessel sailed along the coast, with the lofty mountains of spain in full view.

mr. fluxion was communicative enough to say that the josephine would put into lisbon, and await the arrival of the young america. the intelligence was not pleasant to the runaways. perth declared that something must be done at once, or at least before the vessel had passed cape de gata. alicante and carthagena were near, and from either of them steamers frequently departed for marseilles. they had actually made the trip in the josephine which they had contemplated before their runaway excursion in her, but under different circumstances from those they desired. if they could get to marseilles, the rest of the plan might be realized.

they had kept everything in readiness for the enterprise which little had planned, and for a fortnight had been on the lookout for an opportunity to strike the blow. after the vessel had come up with cape antonio, perth told the fellows he should make the attempt that night, though it would be bright moonlight. the signal for those below to perform the part assigned to them was three raps on the deck, over the steerage, with the heel of the leader. but perth was not in cleats's watch; so he and herman hid themselves under the top-gallant forecastle, when their watch was relieved. about three bells in the mid watch, little informed the leader that cleats had gone below.

"where's bitts?" whispered perth.

"in the waist, planking the deck."

"call phillips, quick!" added the leader, as he came out of his hiding-place.

phillips promptly appeared. he was a great, stout fellow, as ugly as he was big. he immediately prepared to do his part. herman was sent below to see that every seaman in the steerage was awake and ready to act, and he succeeded in eluding the sleepy vigilance of bitts.

perth gave the signal for those in the steerage, and at the same time whistled for the information of those on deck. bitts was not so obliging as to lean against a mast, or anything else, and the conspirators were compelled to take him flying. phillips had prepared, with a piece of whale line, a kind of lasso, and, stepping up behind him, threw it over his head, drawing it tight around his neck, before the astonished carpenter suspected any mischief. the end of the whale line was then hooked to the clewline of the fore-square-sail, which had been detached for the purpose. the hands at the clewline walked away with it, until the rope bore hard on the throat of the carpenter. all this was done in an instant, for phillips had carefully adjusted all the details of his share of the work. bitts tried to cry out; but when he did so, phillips ordered the hands at the buntline to haul taut.

"keep still, old fellow, or you shall be hung!" said the ruffian in charge of the deed.

bitts was obliged to keep still, for when he struggled to release his neck with his hands the rope was tightened. in the mean time, perth had secured the slide, and those below had barred the doors.

"clear away the boats!" and all but phillips, who was obliged to watch bitts, sprang to their stations for lowering the boats, and in a couple of minutes all four of them were in the water, with the oars tossed, ready to pull for the shore. in the cabin there was a tremendous din, made by cleats and the other officers, who had been aroused by the noise. they were trying to batter down the door leading into the steerage, but as yet with no success.

"all ready!" shouted perth.

phillips, who was the only one of the crew remaining on board, hastily belayed the clewline at the fife-rail, hauling it just taut enough to hold bitts, without choking him to death. as the ruffian leaped into the boat, to which he had been assigned, perth gave the order to shove off, and the runaways pulled with all their might for the shore.