“Very well; if you think best I will go down,” I replied. “We had better keep together,” he added. I led the way down the ladder, and as the captain followed me, he beckoned to the deck hands to keep near us. “You have concluded to mind--have you?” sneered Waddie, as I presented myself before his imperial majorship. “I concluded to come down,” I answered. “Wolf, you will go to the engine-room, and mind the bells,” he continued. “Mr. Forbush is the engineer of this boat,” I replied. “No matter if he is; you will do as I tell you, or take the consequences.” “Then I will take the consequences,” I answered, for I had no intention of helping the Wimpletonians land their conquered foe on the North Point. “Here! form around him! Charge bayonets! Drive him into the engine-room!” said Waddie, smartly. Instead of waiting for this programme to be carried out, I walked forward to the extreme point of the bow, where the engineer had taken position. I was not quite sure that I could successfully resist the order; but it was not in my nature to obey the haughty commands of Major Waddie. “That’s right!” said Forbush, as I joined him. “I’m glad to see a little grit.” Captain Underwood and the three deck hands followed me; but Waddie drew his sword, and, filled with rage, crowded through them towards me. “Wolf, I command this boat now, and I order you to the engine-room,” fumed the major, as he pointed his sword at me, as though he intended to run me through; and I am not sure that such was not his purpose. Forbush’s patience appeared to be exhausted, and before I had time to make any reply, he suddenly sprang upon Waddie, wrenched the sword from his grasp, and, seizing him by the collar, jammed him against the rail with so much force, that the bantam major howled with pain and terror. The dignity of his military position was knocked out of him, and the glory of the chapeau, feathers, and gold lace departed. “Look out for the rest of them!” called Forbush. I picked up one of the guns which the captors had thrown one side, and the three deck hands followed my example. Captain Underwood, still true to his humane philosophy, took a handspike. But the sudden movement of the engineer seemed to paralyze the valiant soldiers for the moment, as they paused to see what the grimy Forbush intended to do with their leader. “Rally! rally!” shouted Captain Bayard, who, now that the major was _hors de combat_, was the ranking officer. “Charge bayonets!” “You keep back!” replied Forbush. “If one of you takes a single step forward, I will throw this fellow overboard;” and he jammed poor Waddie against the rail again, until we could almost hear his bones crack. “Don’t! don’t!” groaned Waddie. “Keep the fellows back, Dick Bayard, or he will kill me!” “That’s so,” replied the stout engineer, who did not weigh less than one hundred and eighty, and was six feet high.