De Forrest was disgusted, and went away with "a flea in his ear." Of course the action of the principal was immediately known among all the officers. Cumberland only laughed, while others looked grave, and proposed that they should get up a society among the officers. The proposition was hailed with a shout of satisfaction, and a committee appointed to prepare a plan. Wainwright hastened to Scott with the pleasant news he had to tell, and the main cabin was obtained for that evening. As the instructors spent most of their unoccupied time on deck, this was no hardship to them. The lodge opened again, with those present who had taken the second degree. In older to make the thing more ludicrous than before, the officers enveloped themselves in blankets, sheets, and such other fantastic apparel as they could lay hands upon, and each one placed his small tin wash-bowl on his head, the handle of which stuck out like a queue behind. The curtain over the skylight was drawn so that no one on deck could see into the cabin. The pantry was built out from the bulkhead, which separated it from the main cabin, into the steerage, forming a space, or gangway, four feet wide, between the pantry and the mess-rooms, from winch one of the doors opened into the cabin. A blanket was extended across from the front of the pantry, before the starboard door, making an apartment four feet square, in which the O. L. M. was stationed. The candidate was admitted to this place, and when the bag was drawn over his head, he was conducted into the lodge. The ceremonies were performed with even more spirit than in the old fish-house, and the roars of laughter that went up from the main cabin assured those within hearing that the members were having a good time. All the rest in the ship who had taken their first degree were "elevated" to the second on this occasion. At the close of the initiation, a vote of thanks to the principal was unanimously passed, for his kindness in granting the society the use of the cabin; and after some debate, he was also elected an honorary member of the order, with the privilege of attending any and all its meetings--a privilege of which, however, he magnanimously declined to avail himself. The next morning the squadron sailed for Cronstadt, and, as the weather was beautiful, the trip was a very pleasant one. The gulf was lively with steamers, and sailing vessels of all kinds, from the smallest Russian fishing shallop up to the largest man-of-war. There were iron-clads and steamers of all sizes belonging to the Russian navy, and the students gazed with interest at half a dozen monitors. These war vessels were all engaged in various manœuvres and evolutions for practice. "What flag is that, Mr. Lowington?" asked Captain Cantwell, as a vessel passed them. "The Russian flag," replied the principal, surprised that the captain of the ship should ask such a question. "But I thought that on the men-of-war was the Russian flag." "Both of them."