st through
the door.

This honor was seized by none other than Blackie. I suppose he was
anxious to escape from Newman's disturbing gaze; anyhow, at the second
mate's first summons, he bounded from the bench, and tumbled through
the door. I followed immediately after, and saw my suspicions
confirmed.

Mister Fitz was holding a lantern, and Mister Lynch had his hands free
for business. He met Blackie's egress with a careless jab of his fist
that up-ended the unfortunate stiff, and the injunction, "Hearty, now,
you swabs! Lay aft!"

I quickly sidestepped out of the second mate's range, in case he should
aim a blow at me, and started to obey the command to lay aft. But I
had taken but a step when I was arrested by Blackie's action.

Instead of adopting the sensible course of meekness under insult,
Blackie rebounded from the deck and flew at Lynch. In the light cast
by Mister Fitz's lantern, I saw the gleam of a knife blade in Blackie's
hand. I suppose the anger that Newman's words had raised exploded
beneath Lynch's blow, and caused his mad rashness.

But Bully Lynch made nothing of the assault. "Ah, would you!" I heard
him say as Blackie closed with him, and then the knife-hand went up in
the air, and the weapon fell upon the deck. "I'll teach you!" said
Lynch, and he commenced to shower blows upon the man. Blackie screamed
curses, and fought back futilely. Lynch commented in a monotone with
each of his thudding blows, "Take that--that--that." Soon he knocked
Blackie cold, across the forehatch. Then he turned to us who were
clustered outside the foc'sle door, watching. "Aft, with you!
Jumping, it is, now!"

Aft, we went, and jumping, too, with the mate's laugh in our ears.

CHAPTER IX

I had the second trick at the wheel that watch, from ten o'clock till
midnight. I came panting and sweating to the task, keenly relishing
the chance of resting. For there was to be no "farming" away the night
watches in the _Golden Bough_; the second mate had kept us upon the
dead run from one job to another, and I sensed this was the routine of
the ship.

It was a fine, clean smelling night of moon and stars, and brisk
breeze. The wind had freshened since day, and the vessel was stepping
out and showing the paces that made her famous. She had an easy helm;
one of those rare craft that may be said to steer herself. I had time
to think, and receive impressions, as I half lounged at the wheel. The
round