Part 34 (1/2)

”It was not. It was tough, but I had to do it,” replied Dan moodily. ”I just had to do it to save myself. He would have given me a terrible beating had I not finished him. I saw that early, and tried to get him to call it a draw. He refused, so there was nothing left for me except to finish it right there. I am glad he did not go overboard. That would have been terrible. Is he still unconscious?”

”I have been too busy to look,” grinned Sam.

All at once the jackies seemed to have recovered from their surprise.

”Dynamite! Dynamite!” they roared.

Making a concerted rush at the Battles.h.i.+p Boy, they hoisted him to their shoulders and began marching about the deck shouting and singing, though Dan much preferred not to have his victory celebrated in this manner.

There was no restraining the jackies, however. From a raw recruit Dan Davis had, in a few moments, won his way into the heart of every jackie, except Kester, on board the ”Long Island.” Dan had suddenly grown from boyhood to manhood in their estimation.

As soon as he could release himself from their hospitable shoulders the lad made his way to the ring, where Kester's seconds had just succeeded in restoring him to consciousness.

”I'm sorry, Kester. I hope I have not hurt you,” said Dan in a tone of deep concern. To this the fellow made no reply.

”Won't you shake hands with me and let us be friends?”

”No!”

”Bill, Bill, don't be a grouch-don't be a sorehead. Dynie licked you fair and square,” urged one of the man's companions.

”I'll even up with you for this, you-you cub!”

Dan drew himself up proudly.

”Very well. I have tried to do the manly thing. If you refuse to have it that way, it surely is not my fault. But I give you fair warning. Keep away and let me alone hereafter. Until you are willing to make friends, I want nothing more to do with you. When you are, I shall be glad to meet you half way.”

”That's the talk, Dynie,” chorused several voices approvingly. ”You had better not fool with the fire any more, Bill. It burns. You ain't in the same cla.s.s with that stick of dynamite. He's got you anch.o.r.ed with both port and starboard anchors and the chains not half out.”

”Please do not stir him up,” begged Dan. ”I am ashamed of myself for what I have done as it is.”

”What? Ashamed for licking the s.h.i.+p's bully?”

”Yes.”

”Well, ain't that a joke, mates?”

The sailors laughed loudly. In the meantime, Kester's seconds had gotten him up, and were helping him to a sheltered part of the superstructure, where they a.s.sisted him to get into his clothes. The big man was still very unsteady on his feet, and his face was streaked with blood from the unfortunate nose.

”You'll have to go to Pills to get fixed up.”

”Yes, my nose hurts.”

Once more the surgeon was called upon to dress Bill Kester's face and bolster up the flattened nose.

”You've been in a fight again, my man,” rebuked the surgeon. ”I shall have to make a report of it to the captain. Who hit you!”

”Davis.”

”It will go hard with him, then,” muttered the surgeon. ”That young man must have an awful punch.”