"Lieutenant Alvarez attacked me!" he cried. "I demand that
he be placed under arrest. I found him in the act of
destroying the reserve instruments, and when I would have
interfered to protect them he fell upon me and beat me. I
demand that you arrest him!"

"You forget yourself, Mr. Johnson," I said. "You are not in
command of the ship. I deplore the action of Lieutenant
Alvarez, but I cannot expunge from my mind the loyalty and
self-sacrificing friendship which has prompted him to his
acts. Were I you, sir, I should profit by the example he
has set. Further, Mr. Johnson, I intend retaining command
of the ship, even though she crosses thirty, and I shall
demand implicit obedience from every officer and man aboard
until I am properly relieved from duty by a superior officer
in the port of New York."

"You mean to say that you will cross thirty without
submitting to arrest?" he almost shouted.

"I do, sir," I replied. "And now you may go below, and,
when again you find it necessary to address me, you will
please be so good as to bear in mind the fact that I am your
commanding officer, and as such entitled to a salute."

He flushed, hesitated a moment, and then, saluting, turned
upon his heel and left the bridge. Shortly after, Alvarez
appeared. He was pale, and seemed to have aged ten years in
the few brief minutes since I last had seen him. Saluting,
he told me very simply what he had done, and asked that I