"I'll tell you, Kendall; but you must keep still about it for the present."
"It looks to me, on the face of it, like a dishonest trick. It seems that Shuffles lied to us when he made us believe that we were playing a game. I like a joke well enough, but I don't believe in a fellow's lying for the sake of any fun."
"You are right, Kendall. It was not only a dishonest trick, but it was a mean one."
"What was the position?" repeated Paul.
"Some of the fellows are going to make Mr. Lowington a present of a silver pitcher as soon as we get to some port where we can obtain one."
"Why didn't you tell of it?" demanded Paul. "I should like to join in the presentation, for I don't think there is a fellow on board who likes Mr. Lowington better than I do."
"Yes; but, you see, there's something peculiar about this thing. The contribution is to be confined to those fellows who have been disciplined in one way or another. A good many of us, you know, were mad when Mr. Lowington took our money away; we are satisfied now that he was right. We made him feel rather uncomfortable by our looks and actions, and some of us were positively impudent to him. We purpose to show that our feelings are all right."
"Precisely so!" replied Paul, with enthusiasm. "That's splendid! Mr. Lowington will appreciate the gift when he sees the names of the subscribers."
"Certainly he will."
"But you have no money," laughed the second lieutenant.