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 ............