“No, boys, I have had one fight, though it wasn’t much of a fight after all. You know what happened? I was called before the mast and let go with a warning. Next time they would put me ashore and tell me to go home. I wish to stay in the service. When I fight, let it be under the Flag I serve.” “Nothing of the sort. Bill will be telling, all over the ship, that you are afraid to meet him, and maybe he’ll call you a coward. Of course we fellows know you ain’t, Dynie.” (“Dynie,” since Dan’s first outburst with Kester, had become a favorite nickname for the boy.) “He had better not,” Dan made answer in a low, tense voice, a dull flush suffusing his cheeks. “If he does that, I may be tempted to use a marline spike on him.” “Then you’d sure get out of the service,” replied the sailor. “You tell him to keep away and let me alone. If he doesn’t I’ll defend myself, as I did before, that is, if I can. I am not looking for trouble, but I’ll face it if it comes.” “Shall we tell him that?” “Tell him by all means, if you think best. He does not interest me at all.” “You think it over, Dynie. We’ll talk with you later. We’ll tell Bill something to satisfy him till you make up your mind.” “I have made up my mind. I won’t fight.” The committee returned to the group, where they talked for some moments, Dan observing that Kester was scowling more ferociously than usual and his voice rising higher. “He’s a quitter! He’s a coward!” exclaimed Bill. Dan rose hastily and walked away. “Trouble seems to be getting right in my way. If I don’t try to push it out of the way I fall over it. What’s a fellow to do?” “What’s wrong, Dan?” questioned Sam, overtaking his companion at that moment. He had observed Dan’s troubled face. “Oh, nothing much. They want me to fight that fellow Kester.” “Have they told you so?” “Yes.” “When?” “Just now. Two of the boys came to me to ask if I would fight him.” “What did you say?” “I told them I wouldn’t do it, unless he forced me to do so in self-defense, and that then I’d use a marline spike on him.” Sam shook his head thoughtfully. “It doesn’t seem to surprise you any,” complained Dan. “No, I can’t say that it does. I had suspected something of the sort was in the wind. Are you afraid of him, Dan?” “Afraid of him?” “Yes.” “No, I am not afraid of him,” answered the lad in a quiet voice. “But I have had my little lesson through your fate, you know. Bread and water don’t agree with my digestive organs. Why, what do you think would happen to me were I to get mixed up in that sort of a row?” “Nothing.” “What do you mean?” “I hear that when men on board these ships have a misunderstanding, they are permitted to fight it out under proper conditions.” “They do?”