"No fear on that score," observed Lord Reginald. "We shall get as many as we want out of the merchant vessels. They must spare us their men, whether they like it or not. By-the-by, that young Hargrave is on board; I would have dispensed with his services. The very sight of him is annoying. He eyes me with the same daring, impudent look he always did, and I shouldn't be surprised if he and the other smuggler were to try and get up a mutiny on board, if they have the opportunity." "I'll see that he plays no trick of that sort," answered Voules. "I'll take the spirit out of him, depend upon it, and make him wish that he had remained on board the frigate." "I don't want him treated unjustly, or punished unless he gives occasion by his conduct," remarked Lord Reginald. "Oh, no, no," answered Voules, with a significant smile; "of course not. The truth is, I have a grudge against him myself. The other night I heard him, when he didn't know I was near, speaking of me as `Toady Voules.'" "Did he, indeed?" said Lord Reginald, leaning back and laughing. "Why, that's the name you've got in the mess. Ah, ah, ah! However, for one of the men to make use of it is next door to mutiny. They must not be allowed to speak so disrespectfully of their officers." Voules, who was considerably irritated by his superior's remark, did not fail to exercise his ill feelings on Dick, and not a day passed that he did not find some excuse for ill treating him and making him perform the most unpleasant duties. Voules, like other men of mean spirit, delighted in acting the tyrant; indeed, had he wished to create a mutiny, he took the most effectual means of causing one. He had now numberless opportunities which he could not have obtained on board the frigate. He was constantly abusing the men during every operation they were ordered to perform, though his chief displeasure fell on the heads of Ben and Dick, who were instantly placed on the black list, when their grog was stopped and they were compelled to walk the deck with a shot in each hand during their watch below, or other punishments were inflicted. Dick, as he had resolved, kept his temper and submitted without complaint to this injustice; but Ben nourished a spirit of revenge, and secretly formed a plan for wreaking his vengeance on the heads of his persecutors. With this object in view, he found out who among the crew were most dissatisfied and were likely to join him in his project. He did not, however, venture to speak to Dick. He fully believed that he should in time win him over. "He'll do something or other before long, which will rouse even his spirit," he said to himself, and "then he'll be more ready than any of us to do what I want."