talking together in the cabin," continued the officer in a low tone.

"But they were talking about me, as I told you before," answered the
scullion, rather impatiently, as though he too had a mind of his own.

"Wasn't anything said about the operations of the future?" demanded Mr.
Lillyworth.

"Not a word; but you know as well as I do that the captain has sealed
orders which he will not see before to-morrow. I heard him tell his
father that he was to open the envelope in latitude 38," said the
supernumerary.

"You must contrive some way to hear the captain when he reads his
orders," continued the second lieutenant. "He will be likely to have
Mr. Flint with him when he opens the envelope."

"It will be difficult," replied Mulgrum, and Dave could imagine that he
saw him shake his head. "The captain has found me cleaning the brasses
on his door twice, and it will hardly do to be found at the door again."

"Isn't there any place in his cabin where you can conceal yourself?"
inquired Mr. Lillyworth.

"I don't know of any place, unless it is his state room; and the cabin
steward has been at work there almost all the time since we got under
way. Dave seems to be a sort of confidant of the captain," suggested
Mulgrum; and it looked as though the deaf mute had not held his tongue
and kept his ears open for nothing; but the steward could not understand
how he had got this idea into his head, for he had received his