I," another said, "but I doubt whether he can do so; the odds
are too great against him."

"I will take four to one," another said. "Look at the young un's muscles
down his back. You won't often see anything better among lads two years
older than he is."

The fight began with a tremendous rush on the part of Jones. Will stood
his ground doggedly, and struck his opponent fairly between the eyes,
making him shake his head like an exasperated bull. Time after time Jones
repeated the manoeuvre, but only once or twice landed a blow, while he
never escaped without a hard return. At length he began to feel the
effects of his own efforts, and stood on the defensive, panting for
breath. Now it was Will's turn. He danced round and round his opponent
with the activity of a goat, dodging in and delivering a heavy body-blow
and then leaping out again before his opponent could get any return. The
cheers of the sailors rose louder and louder, and Will heard them
shouting: "Go in; finish him, lad!" But Will was too prudent to risk
anything; he knew that the battle was in his hands unless he threw it
away, and that Jones was well-nigh pumped out. At last, after dealing a
heavy blow, he saw his antagonist stagger back, and in an instant sprang
forward and struck him between the eyes with far greater force than he had
before exerted. Jones fell like a log, and was altogether unable to come
up to time. A burst of cheering rose from the crowd, and many and hearty
were the congratulations Will received.

[Illustration: AFTER HIS FIRST FIGHT]

"What was going on this afternoon, Mr. Farrance?" asked the captain; "I
heard a lot of cheering."

"I made enquiry about it, sir, and the boatswain told me that it was only
a fight between two of the boys. Of course he had not been present."

"Ah! It is not often that a boys' fight excites such interest. Who were
they?"

"They were Jones, the biggest of the boys, and by no means a satisfactory
character, and young Gilmore."

"Why, Jones is big enough to eat him."

"Yes, sir, at any rate he ought to have been. He was a great bully when he
first came on board, but the other tackled him as soon as they were
together, and it seems he has to-day given him as handsome a thrashing as
could be wished for, and that without being seriously hurt himself. He has
certainly established his supremacy among the boys of this ship."

"That boy is out of the common," the captain said. "A ship's boy newly
jo