"See here, Haskett, what do you mean?" And Walter strode over to the seaman, his face flushing deeply. "Do you mean to insinuate that I took Si's gold piece and hid it away?" "He just does," burst out Paul. "And he says you talked in your sleep about it, too." "It is false--at least, it is false that I took the money. I might have dreamed about it and talked in my sleep. We are not accountable for what we do when we are sleeping." "Perhaps you took the gold piece when you were asleep," said Haskett, squinting suggestively at those surrounding him. "The gold piece was taken while Si and I were left behind in Washington. It was taken by somebody on the train." "That's your story--and you've been trying to lay the thing at my door. But I shan't stand it--not me," stormed Haskett. "I heard what you said in your sleep, and so did Cal Blinker. If anybody is guilty, it is you!" And he pointed his long, bony finger full in Walter's face. By this time a crowd of a dozen or more had gathered round, realizing that a quarrel of some sort was in progress. "It's about a gold piece," said one. "Haskett says Russell took it. Say, fellows, we don't want anything to do with a thief." "Not much we don't!" answered a messmate. "Heave him overboard if he is guilty." "This matter ought to be reported to the officer of the deck," put in a third. "If there is a thief on board, no man's ditty-box will be safe." At Haskett's concluding remark Walter's face grew as red as a beet, then deadly pale. For a moment he stood stock still, breathing heavily. Suddenly he leaped forward with clenched fist and struck Haskett a stunning blow on the chin which sent the seaman staggering up against a gun-carriage. "That, for talking to me in this fashion!" he exclaimed. "Oh!" grunted the ex-mate of the _Sunflower_, as he caught at the gun just in time to prevent himself from falling to the deck. "You--you young rascal, what do you mean by hitting me?" "A fight! a fight!" cried several, and soon a crowd of about fifty jackies surrounded the pair. "Wasn't that a pretty blow though! And he's only a boy, too!" came from a gunner's mate. "I'll fix you for this!" went on Haskett, putting one hand to his chin, where a lump was rising rapidly. "I never before allowed anybody to hit me--leastwise a boy." And he rushed at Walter with a fierceness which boded the youth no good. "Don't you hit him, Haskett," put in Caleb, catching the seaman by the arm. "If you do, you'll have to settle this affair with me." "He hit me." "And you as much as said he was a thief." "And so he is." "I am not, and I've a good mind to hit you again for saying so," burst out Walter, and before anybody around could separate them he and Haskett had closed in. Several ineffective blows were struck on each side, when they were pulled apart. "This won't do, Walter," whispered Caleb. "If you're not careful, you'll spend a week in the brig." "But--but it's awful to have him say I'm a--a--"