Poor Herc saluted and shuffled uneasily from one foot to another. "Oh, I know he'll make a mess of it," thought Ned to himself. "I wish the regulations would allow me to speak up for him." "Come, sir; what have you to say?" reiterated the officer, as the sorry-looking Kennell got slowly to his feet. He glowered menacingly at Herc, as recollection of what had occurred began to come back to him. "Why, sir, that young cur----" Kennell began. "Silence, sir!" roared the officer; "I'll attend to you when your turn comes." "I was painting the side of the turret," began Herc; "and, quite by accident, the handle of my painting pail came off. Unfortunately, this man happened to be passing below and the stuff doused him, just like a sheep at dipping time, and----" "Attention, sir! Never mind your comparisons. Proceed. You have not yet accounted for the extraordinary condition of this man's countenance." "Why, sir, _that's_ the paint," sputtered Herc, as if astonished at the officer's simplicity. "Exactly. I understand. You say that such a thing was an accident. Possibly, it was. But how do you account for the fact that the man Kennell was lying insensible at the foot of the turret, with that cut over his eye?" "I did that, too, sir," admitted Herc ruefully. "What, you cut his eye like that?" "No, sir; I guess that he must have done that when he fell. I just gave him a sleep wallop----" "Attention, sir! Use more respectful intelligible language," said the lieutenant, suddenly becoming much more interested in some object on the far horizon; so much so that he had once more to turn his back on the Dreadnought Boys, the boatswain's mate and the open-mouthed jackies. In a minute he faced round again, as grave as before. "I hope you are not sea-sick, sir?" began Herc solicitously, for he had observed the officer's handkerchief at his mouth. The lad could not imagine that a scene so serious to him could appear ludicrous to any one else. "If you are, Pills, the doctor, I mean----" "Silence, sir! You need disciplining. You admit, then, that you hit this man?" "Yes, sir, but he----" "Silence! Answer 'yes' or 'no,' please." "Well, 'yes'," admitted Herc. "Why in the great horn-spoon doesn't he ask him if Kennell hit him first?" groaned Ned, regarding the examination from a prudent distance. "This case calls for a full investigation," snapped the officer; "fighting aboard a man-o'-war is one of the most serious offenses an enlisted man can commit. Messenger!" "Sir!" "Get the master-at-arms, and request him to come forward and report to me at once." "Aye, aye, sir!" The messenger sped aft on his errand, while a dreadful silence ensued, which even the irrepressible Herc had not the courage to break. Evidently something dire was about to happen to him. CHAPTER XIII. HERC LEARNS WHAT "THE BRIG" IS.