"And you did drop it when you saw me."
"I did not mean to drop it then. I was going to wait till you had passed; but my foot slipped, and, in catching hold of the gaff with my hand, I let go the coil. If I hadn't dropped it, I should have fallen myself," replied Grimme, who seemed determined to make the explanation strong enough to meet the emergency.
"I don't believe a word of it! You meant to insult me!" exclaimed Mr. Hamblin, still goaded on to intemperate speech by the ill-concealed jeers of the students. "Mr. Kendall, it is your duty to punish that insolent fellow."
"I will inquire into the matter, sir. If it appears that he did the act on purpose, he shall certainly be punished," replied Paul, who, after his conversation with Duncan, could not help suspecting that this was the first step in the hazing process to which his friend had alluded.
"Inquire into it!" sneered Mr. Hamblin, with deep disgust. "I complain of the boy: that is enough."
Paul did not think so; but he made no reply to the angry man, though he ordered the alleged culprit to the mainmast, which is the locality of the high court on shipboard.
"Mr. Kendall, I desire to have the gig, for the purpose of visiting the ship."
"The gig, sir!" exclaimed Paul, to whom the professors were not in the habit of designating which boat they would have.
"I said the gig, sir," repeated Mr. Hamblin, loftily.
"I beg your pardon, sir; but the gig is the captain's boat," replied Paul, with deference.