"You wrong me, Wilton. I'm just as good a fellow as I ever was. I think I'm the best fellow in the ship, and for that reason I want to be captain. I'm ahead of Carnes so far on marks this month."
"Well, if you want to be the head flunky, I hope you'll get it. We are not going ashore to-morrow, they say," added Wilton, changing the topic to get nearer to the business of the hour.
"So Pelham told me."
"Are you willing to stay on board and study, and do ship's duty, on the Fourth of July?"
"We are going to celebrate."
"How?"
"I'm sure I don't know."
"We shall celebrate to-morrow just as we do every day—as close prisoners on board the ship. I, for one, don't like it, and I won't stand it."
"Won't you?" laughed Shuffles.
"When I say I won't, I mean so."