Blackstone."

"And I am the Court of Appeals," retorted Blackstone, hotly. "Bear
that in mind, captain, when you try to send me up. I'll issue a writ
of habeas corpus on my own body, and commit you for contempt."

"There's no use of sending the Judge, anyhow," said Raleigh, fearing
by the glitter that came into the eye of the commander that trouble
might ensue unless pacificatory measures were resorted to. "He's
accustomed to weighing everything carefully, and cannot be rushed
into a decision. If he saw any evidence, he'd have to sit on it a
week before reaching a conclusion. What we need here more than
anything else is an expert seaman, a lookout, and I nominate Shem.
He has sailed under his father, and I have it on good authority that
he is a nautical expert."

Holmes hesitated for an instant. He was considering the necessity of
disciplining the recalcitrant Blackstone, but he finally yielded.

"Very well," he said. "Shem be it. Bo'sun, pipe Shem on deck, and
tell him that general order number one requires him to report at the
mizzentop right away, and that immediately he sees anything he shall
come below and make it known to me. As for the rest of us, having a
very considerable appetite, I do now decree that it is dinner-time.
Shall we go below?"

"I don't think I care for any, thank you," said Raleigh. "Fact is--
ah--I dined last week, and am not hungry."

Noah laughed. "Oh, come below and watch us eat, then," he said.