“No, sir; but I think that all three of them have been drinking wine; and Mr. Gregory is intoxicated,” added the quartermaster. “Intoxicated!” exclaimed Capt. Fairfield. “I think you must be mistaken, Lawring.” “No, sir, I am not. They had a bottle of red wine, and Mr. Gregory asked me to drink a glass of it.” Capt. Fairfield was bewildered at this intelligence. Three of the students who ought to be at their studies were drinking wine in the mess-room. Certainly this was all wrong. The students were not allowed to drink wine, to say nothing of refusing to attend to the lessons. But the instructor was a prudent man; and he paused to consider his own powers in the premises. He had been sent on board to instruct the ship’s company; and he concluded that his authority was the same as that of any other professor in the absence of the principal or a vice-principal. He had the entire control of the students during study hours, unless they were ordered to do ship’s duty by the captain. He could not interfere with the navigation of the vessel; but he could compel the attendance of the pupils at the proper hours in the cabin. Leaving the cabin, he went on the poop-deck, where O’Hara was, and stated the case to him. The young captain was very much disconcerted by the intelligence that some of the students were insubordinate, but especially so that the first and third officers were in a state of intoxication and rebellion. It was clear enough that the tipplers had found a way to get into the wine-room in the hold. Mr. Frisbone had taken the key to this room; and it was a mystery how the students had got into it. O’Hara told Capt. Fairfield that he had full powers to compel the attendance of the members of the starboard watch in the cabin, and advised him to call upon the boatswain and carpenter if he needed any assistance. While the instructor went to attend to this duty, O’Hara called for the stewards, and visited the hold with them. They knew nothing about the wine or the wine-room. The door was locked, and all appeared to be right about it. But, while they were investigating the matter, the captain saw Alfonzo come out of the fire-room, and creep under the engine to the door leading into the after-hold. He went below again, and the fireman unlocked the door of the wine-room. When he had gone in, the captain crept up to the door, and took out the key. Calling the two stewards, they drove Alfonzo out, and locked the door. “Keep this key,” said O’Hara to the man who acted as chief steward, “and search the ship all over. If you find any wine or liquors, lock them up.”