"I was coming in from the weather yard-arm, sir. I should have gone down the leech of the foresail if you had not told me not to, sir. O!" gasped Little, distorting his face, and doubling up his lithe little body.
"Never mind it now," added the principal, kindly.
"I feel a little better, sir. Mr. Hamblin began to say something to the fellows on deck, and I stopped to listen. O!"—and Little doubled up again. "I caught hold of the clew-garnet, sir—O! I was leaning down to hear what Mr. Hamblin said, and bore my whole weight on the clew-garnet. It wasn't belayed, sir,—O!—and it let me down."
Mr. Lowington desired to know what hands were stationed at the fore clew-garnets; but when they appeared, they were very confident they had belayed these ropes as usual. Little was advised to go below and turn in; but he preferred to remain on deck. As soon as the principal and the doctor had gone aft, the young reprobate turned to his companions, put his thumb to his bloody nose, and wiggled his fingers. Indeed, a remarkable cure seemed suddenly to have been wrought in his particular case; for he walked as nimbly as ever, until some of the officers came forward, when, unfortunately, he had a sudden relapse, from which he did not recover—when the "powers that be" were around—for several days.
After supper Paul was sent for, and repaired to the main cabin, where he found the principal, the surgeon, Mr. Hamblin, and several of the professors. Mr. Lowington stated the charge preferred against Captain Kendall, mentioning the evidence in support of it. He then inquired of the professor if he had anything to add to what he had already said on the subject.
Mr. Hamblin had something to add, but it was in the nature of an argument against the accused, rather than a statement of fact. He reviewed his life on board the Josephine since the troubles had commenced, enlarging upon the zeal with which he had discharged his duties. He gave his view of the difficulty between himself and the captain, as he had given it before; but he adduced no new proofs of the charges he preferred.
"The only question before us at the present time, Mr. Hamblin, is in regard to the authorship of the letter purporting to come from Monsieur Rogier," interposed Mr. Lowington. "Have you any new evidence to bring forward?"
"No, sir; I think the charge has been fully proved," replied Mr. Hamblin.
"Captain Kendall, if you have any defence to make, I am ready to hear it," added the principal, turning to Paul.
"I did not write the letter, and I had no knowledge whatever of it until Mr. Hamblin received it. Perhaps the writing resembles mine, but not very much. Will you let me take the letter, sir?"