“I am not dictating to you,” replied Sam. “But if this man needs protection and I can aid him I will, that’s as sure as you stand there. I don’t know much about the sea, but I think the time has gone by when a captain can treat his crew like a lot of slaves.” “Dat’s right, I ain’t no slabe no moah,” came from January Jones, who was beginning to pick up a little courage, now he saw he had so many to side with him. “You keep quiet!” stormed the captain, shaking his fist at the colored man. “I’ll settle this with you at another time,” and then January Jones slunk back, fearful that he had “put his foot into it” worse than ever. “Captain, I can’t see why we can’t settle this little affair in a friendly way,” said Mark, after an awkward pause. “We don’t want any trouble. If you’ll only treat that colored fellow as he should be treated, and continue to serve us with decent meals, there won’t be any cause for----” “I don’t want any preaching from a boy!” interrupted the captain. “I know my business and I want you to mind yours.” “All right, we will,” came from Darry. “But just the same, we are going to keep an eye on you so long as we remain on board. And if you do anything more that the law doesn’t allow you’ll hear from us; isn’t that so, fellows?” A chorus of assent followed. “I won’t talk to you further,” growled Captain Sudlip, and turning on his heel he started off. His direction was toward January Jones, and that individual lost no time in getting out ahead and disappearing to parts unknown. “He is a brute and no mistake,” was Sam’s comment, when they were once more left to themselves. “I believe he would have half killed that darkey if we hadn’t come up.” “Don’t worry but that the captain has it in for you,” came from Frank. “And in for Darry, too.” “I guess he’d have it in for all of us--if he got the chance,” said Mark. “But we mustn’t give him the chance. In the future, while on shipboard, we had better keep together.” And on this the boys agreed. When they returned to where the professor was sitting he asked them where they had gone so suddenly. “Oh, we took a walk forward,” said Sam, carelessly, and then to stop further questioning asked Professor Strong how far he thought they were on their journey and when they would arrive at Kingston. Hockley had finished his so-styled humorous book, and now came out to listen to what the crowd might have to say. But he was not interested and soon began to yawn. “I’d rather sleep than sit out here gazing at nothing but stars and water,” he said, and shuffled off to his stateroom. It was about an hour later when the professor and the boys also retired. Mark and Frank who, as told before, roomed together, had just undressed when there came a slight knock on the door. “Who is it?” asked Mark. “It’s me, sah,” came in the low voice of January Jones. “I dun stole down heah widout de cap’n knowing it.” “Oh!” Mark opened the door several inches. “What can we do for you now, January?”