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Even while these thoughts were passing through my mind I was busy with the

details of my duties. I had seen to it that a sea anchor was rigged, and even now

the men had completed their task, and the Coldwater was swinging around

rapidly, her nose pointing once more into the wind, and the frightful rolling

consequent upon her wallowing in the trough was happily diminishing.

It was then that Johnson came hurrying to the bridge. One of his eyes was

swollen and already darkening, and his lip was cut and bleeding. Without even

the formality of a salute, he burst upon me, white with fury.

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 place him under arrest.

I put my hand on his shoulder, and I guess that my voice trembled a trifle as,

while reproving him for his act, I made it plain to him that my gratitude was no

less potent a force than his loyalty to me. Then it was that I outlined to him my

purpose to defy the regulation that had raised the dead lines, and to take my ship

back to New York myself.

I did not ask him to share the responsibility with me. I merely stated that I

should refuse to submit to arrest, and that I should demand of him and every

The Lost Continent