s started forward.

'Look here, you'll have to learn your manners, and we won't have a
strange girl like you stick yourself up so. We've come to tell you to
look out for yourself if you don't stop it.'

Nancy laughed again, and swung herself violently backwards and forwards.
'Yo ho! my lads, yo ho!' she sang. 'I'm on my ship, and I don't care for
boys a bit; they're all as stupid as they can be. Yo ho! We go! Yo ho,
lads, heave ho!'

Her elevated position certainly seemed to give her an advantage.

'We'll soon shake you off there!' shouted Sam, his wrath rising at her
calm indifference to the lords of creation.

'Come on, and try. I'm up the rigging, and a storm is beginning.
Hurray--come on!'

Sam and Carrots made a furious onslaught, and the gate was roughly
handled, but the more it shook and swung, the more derisive was Nancy's
laughter, as she clutched a firm hold with her small hands, and swayed to
and fro, calling out excitedly, 'Furl the main-sail! Stand by,
lads--steady--starboard hard! Port your helm! Rocks to leeward! Reef the
top-sail! Breakers ahead! Yo ho!'

Teddy looked on, awed by these nautical terms, which seemed to slip so
easily from her lips. To him they seemed wonderfully clever, but he was
not one to stand aside long in a scene of excitement, and with one of his
wild war whoops he rushed forward.

'On, boys! Charge! Hurrah!'

The gate rocked violently, and Nancy began to feel her position was a
perilous one. All the little people were screaming at the top of their
voices, when suddenly, in the midst of the din, appeared old Sol.

'What now! Who are these trying to break one of Her Majesty's gates down?
Be off, you young ruffians! Teddy Platt, you're at the bottom of all the
mischief brewing in the parish. I'll get my big stick out and give you a
thrashing before I've done with you.'

Old Sol's words were fierce, but the boys knew he had the softest heart
in the village, and they stood their ground. 'It's all the button-boy,'
said Nancy eagerly, as she descended from her perch, and laid her little
hand confidingly on the old man's arm. 'He brought these boys up to fight
me, but I was up the mast, and they couldn't shake me off!'

'We told you we wouldn't fight a girl,' protested Teddy indignantly; 'you
don't speak the truth.'

'Well, what did you bring the boys for?' demanded the small maiden
severely.

'We came,' put in Sam boldly, 'to tell you that if you were so cheeky you
would