glers. So I decided
to give it up, and that set the whole village against me, and I should
probably have been killed if I had not taken refuge in the coast-guard
station. There the officer in charge spoke to me of joining the royal
navy, and it seemed to me that it would do me good to serve a few years in
it; for I could afterwards, if I chose, pass as an officer in the merchant
service."

"You are the rummest boy that I ever came across," Forster said. "Well, I
must think it over. Now, if there is anything that you specially wish to
know, I will explain it to you."

For half an hour they talked together, and the midshipman solved many of
the problems that had troubled the lad. Then with many thanks Will went
below.

"Is it true, Will," Tom Stevens said, "that you have been right up the
mast?"

"Not exactly, Tom, but I went up to the top of the top-gallant mast."

"But why did you do that?"

"I wanted to get accustomed to going up. There was not a bit of difficulty
about it, except that it was necessary to keep a steady head. You could do
it just as well as I, for we have climbed about the cliffs together scores
of times."

"Do you think it will do any good, Will?"

"Yes, I think so. When they see that a fellow is willing and anxious to
learn, it is sure to do him good in the long run. It will help him on, and
perhaps in two or three years he may get rated as an able seaman, and no
longer be regarded as a boy, useful only to do odd jobs. One of the
midshipmen is going to give me some help with my navigation. I wish, Tom,
you would take it up too, but I am afraid it would be no use. You have got
to learn a tremendous lot before you can master it, and what little you
were taught at our school would hardly help you at all."

"I know that well enough, Will, and I should never think of such a thing.
I always was a fool, and could hardly take in the little that old woman
tried to teach us. No, it is of no use trying to make a silk purse out of
a sow's ear. I hope that soon I shall be able to hit a good round blow at
a Frenchman; that is about all I shall be fit for, though I hope I may
some day get to be a smart topman. The next time you climb the mast I will
go with you. I don't think there is enough in my head to make it unsteady.
At any rate I think that I can promise that I won't do anything to bring
discredit upon you."

The feat that Will had performed had a great effect upon the bully of the
mess. Before t