XVII. THE RIVAL CHAMPIONS.

It is customary to divide a ship's crew into two watches, whose duty it is to alternate in keeping a lookout at night. The first night-watch commences at eight o'clock, and continues till midnight. This watch is then relieved by the second, who have had an opportunity of sleeping in the mean time, and who remain on duty till four A. M. They then give place to the first, who are again on duty till eight in the morning. Thus it will be seen that a part of the crew have eight hours' sleep, while the remainder have but four. This inequality, however, is remedied the next evening, when the hours are changed.

Charlie was fortunate in one respect. He was placed on the same watch with Bill Sturdy, who had established himself, in some sort, as the boy's protector, and did not scruple to avow it. When some of the crew began to tease and play rough practical jokes upon Charlie,—a mode of treatment to which boys[150] are frequently subjected on board ship,—Bill Sturdy interfered, and in a sonorous voice exclaimed,—

"Look here, shipmates, don't lay a finger on this boy!"

"And why not?" inquired a burly sailor, with naturally repulsive features.

"Because I say so," retorted Bill Sturdy.

"Who is he, I should like to know, that we are to keep our distance?"

"I'll tell you who he is, shipmates," was the answer. "He's a boy that the mate has entrapped on board without his own consent."

"Isn't he the mate's nephew?"

"No more than I am, though the mate chooses to call him so. He's got a mother living in Boston, and he's her only boy. She doesn't know what has become of him. Now, shipmates, he seems to be a fine lad, and I'm going to stand by him for his sake and his mother's."

Sailors are generous when you reach their hearts, and there was a murmur of approbation when Bill concluded.

But there is no rule without an exception,[151] and that exception was the scowling sailor who has already been mentioned. Few knew much about him. This was his second voyage on board the Bouncing Betsey. Next to Bill Sturdy he was the stoutest and most athletic sailor on board the ship. During the previous voyage he had been the bully of the crew, taking advantage of his personal strength. Now they were relieved from his tyranny. In Bill Sturdy he had more than found his match. No one, comparing the two men, could doubt, that in a contest, the odds would be decidedly in favor of Bill. Antonio, for this was his name, for he was a Spaniard by birth, could not help seeing the changed state of affairs. Now no one likes to be eclipsed, and to see the authority passing from his hands into those of another. Certainly Antonio did not behold this transfer with indifference. He could not brook holding the second place, where the first had been his. But how could he help it? Very evidently the opinions of the crew favored Bill Sturdy; not only because they believed him to excel Antonio in physical qualities, which hold a high value in[152] the eyes of a sailor, but because he had, as yet, shown no disposition to abuse his power. Antonio was resolved not to yield without a struggle, and therefore determined to take the first occasion to pick a quarrel with his rival, as this would give him an opportunity to measure his strength with him. Antonio did not see, what was evident to all else, that his rival was undeniably his superior in prowess. People are generally slow to admit their own inferiority. That is only natural. He hoped, therefore, that he should be able to re-establish his supremacy by coming off a conqueror in the contest which he had determined to do all in his power to bring about.

Antonio's attention had not been especially called to our hero, until he heard Bill Sturdy avow his determination to take him under his protection. Then, in a spirit of perverseness, and because he thought it would open the way for the trial of strength which he courted, he resolved to oppose him, and openly espouse the other side.

Accordingly, when the murmurs of applause, which had been elicited by his rival's frank[153] and generous appeal to the sympathies of the crew, had subsided, Antonio looked round on the rough faces which surrounded him, and growled,—

"Well, shipmates, are you going to submit to what this fellow says? He dares you to touch this snivelling milk-sop of a boy."

Some of the faces grew dark and threatening at this representation. Nothing stirs up a sailor's heart to opposition so readily as anything which resembles a threat.

Bill Sturdy hastened to reply.

"He is wrong. I don't threaten any of you. I only ask if it is right to play tricks, and abuse a boy who has already been treated so scurvily by the mate. I don't believe there's any one of you that wants to curry favor with Mr. Randall and the captain. Now there is nothing they will like better than to see you kicking round this lad."

Neither the captain nor the mate stood very high in the good graces of the crew, and the effect produced by this statement showed that it was adroitly conceived.

Bill Sturdy took advantage of this to add,[154] "Now, lads, when I say I am going to stand by this boy, and see that he isn't abused, I know you'll stand by me."

This frank and bold speech produced a decided reaction in favor of Charlie.

There was another murmur of approbation, which was interrupted by a stamp upon the deck by Antonio, who, with a ferocious contortion of countenance, shouted, "If you're all going to follow this man's lead, and do like dogs whatever he bids you, you'll find there's one here that dares to be independent."

Saying this, he advanced suddenly to Charlie, who was at work near by, and, seizing him by the shoulder, was about to proceed to some act of violence.

As soon as Bill Sturdy perceived his design, he sprang forward and gave him a powerful blow which would have felled him to the deck, had not Bill slipped a little, as he delivered it.

Instantly the Spaniard's sallow face was suffused, and, with a torrent of oaths and a howl of fury, he precipitated himself upon Sturdy.

[155]

But it was easier to catch a weasel asleep, than to take the stout sailor unprepared.

With his feet firmly planted upon the deck, and his fists in a proper position, he received the bully, parrying his blows with wonderful dexterity, and succeeding in planting others no less effective.

A ring of sailors gathered around, eager to watch the progress and termination of the affray. There were not a few among them, who enjoyed the punishment which they foresaw the Spaniard would receive from his antagonist. He had so tyrannized over them in the past, that they felt little sympathy for him now.

Baffled, blinded, and howling with mingled rage and vexation, the Spaniard continued the unequal fight. As for Bill Sturdy, he was cool and collected, apparently neither angry nor excited, but wary and on the alert.

At length Antonio, perceiving a marlinespike at a little distance, sprang towards it. It was a critical moment for Bill Sturdy, for a marlinespike, in the hands of a furious and determined man, is a formidable weapon.

[156]

His movement did not escape the notice of Sturdy.

He had acted principally on the defensive thus far, but he now saw that something decisive must be done.

Springing forward, he closed with his assailant, lifted him from the deck, and, carrying him to the companion-way, hurled him down stairs.

Then, turning to the crew, he exclaimed, "Shipmates, I call you to witness that this quarrel was forced upon me. Have I done right or wrong?"

"Right!" exclaimed all, in concert.

At this moment the mate, attracted by the noise, came on deck.