might be prudent for the present to postpone any encounter with
the boys, he would take his revenge on the first opportunity.

CHAPTER III

A SEA-FIGHT

As the conflict of words came to an end, a roar of laughter burst from the
sailors at the next mess-table.

"Well done, little bantam!" one said; "you have taken that lout down a
good many pegs, and I would not mind backing you to thrash him
single-handed. We have noticed his goings-on for the past two or three
days with the other boys, and had intended to give him a lesson, but you
have done it right well. He may have been on a voyage before, but I would
wager that he has never been aloft, and I would back you to be at the
masthead before he has crawled through the lubbers' hole. Now, my lad,
just you understand that if you are ready to fight both those boys we
won't interfere, but if you try it one on one of them we will."

The boys' duties consisted largely of working with the watch to which they
were attached, of scrubbing decks, and cleaning brass-work. In battle
their place was to bring up the powder and shot for the guns. On the
second day, when the work was done, Will Gilmore went up to the boatswain.

"If you please, sir," he said, "may I go up the mast?"

The boatswain looked at him out of one eye.

"Do you really want to learn, lad?"

"I do, sir."

"Well, when there are, as at present, other hands aloft, you may go up,
but not at other times."

"Thank you, sir!"

Will at once started. He was accustomed to climb the mast of John
Hammond's boat, but this was a very different matter. From scrambling
about the cliffs so frequently he had a steady eye, and could look down
without any feeling of giddiness. The lubbers' hole had been pointed out
to him, but he was determined to avoid the ignominy of having to go up
through it. When he got near it he paused and looked round. It did not
seem to him that there was any great difficulty in going outside it, and
as he knew he could trust to his hands he went steadily up until he stood
on the main-top.

"Hallo, lad," said a sailor who was busy there, "do you mean to say that
you have come up outside?"

"Yes, there did not seem to be any difficulty about it."

"And is it the first time you have tried?"

"Yes."

"Then one day you will turn out a first-rate sailor. What are you going to
do now?"

Will looked up.

"I am going up