I was not exactly satisfied with the situation in which I found myself, for though I was very happy in having escaped the wrath of Waddie Wimpleton, I had still to encounter the ire of the other “scion of a noble house.” I had expected to be broiled on a gridiron, or subjected to some fearful punishment, for my sins against the house of Wimpleton; and probably I should have been a sufferer, if Forbush had not taken the matter in hand, and brought it to an issue. Now Tommy would berate me for refusing to obey his order, when the engineer had declined to do so; but I was willing to meet this charge, if I could escape the responsibility of advising the captain to keep “our boys” prisoners after we had subdued the enemy. I went to the cabin door to discharge my mission. It had been fastened with a piece of wood, placed in the staple over the hasp, for the padlock with which it was usually secured was lost. I threw the door wide open, and announced to the prisoners below that they were free. “The door is open, Major Toppleton,” called one of the students to his chief. “Where are the Wimps?” demanded Major Tommy, as he led the way out of the cabin. “We put them on shore here, at North Point, where they intended to land you,” I replied. “Why didn’t you obey my order when I told you to take charge of the engine?” continued Tommy, his face beginning to kindle up with anger again. “I couldn’t take the engine out of Mr. Forbush’s hands,” I replied with becoming meekness. “Forbush shall be discharged when the boat returns,” said Tommy, shaking his head. “Perhaps you will change your mind when you learn what he has done,” I suggested. “He recaptured the boat, after he had been driven at the point of the bayonet from the engine-room. He was wounded in the hand, too, in the scrape. I don’t know how we should have got out of it if it hadn’t been for him. He is a plucky fellow, and stood up against the bayonets of the whole crowd of Wimps.” “What did he do?” asked Tommy, curiously. “He captured Waddie Wimpleton, took his sword away from him, and made him order his command to the hurricane deck.” “When was that?” “Well, a short time ago,” I replied, cautiously. “Why didn’t you let us out then?” he demanded. “All the Wimps were here on deck. We let you out just as soon as we got rid of them.” “What did you let them go for, if you had Waddie?” “There were two companies of them, and they were armed with bayonets. We were glad enough to get rid of them.” Tommy thought, if he had been called with his force, he could have taken care of the Wimpletonians; but he behaved better than I expected. I turned his attention back to Forbush, and minutely described to the major and his men the operations of the engineer, and the conduct of Waddie under the torture. Tommy laughed, and the soldiers laughed. It was a good joke, and they were sorry they had not seen the fun.