"If we have nearly the whole crowd, we can do something more than explain our position," said Lindsley.
"I'm not in favor of doing anything more than that," added Raymond, shaking his head.
"All hands, up anchor, ahoy!" shouted the boatswain, the second time, at the main hatch.
"It's all right," said Howe, appearing at the door; "not a fellow answers it."
"Only a dozen have gone on deck in all," added Raymond.
"Is that all?" asked the runaway.
"That's all; I counted them."
"Good! We shall make a big thing of it," answered Howe, as he left the room to look into others, in all of which it is safe to say that the strong-minded rebels were engaged in stiffening the backs of the weaker ones, for a large portion of them were in a very novel position.
"Some one will be down very soon to know what the matter is," said Hyde, fidgeting about his berth, where he had stretched himself to await the time.
"Who shall speak for us?" asked Raymond.