Frank Gee Patchin

“ Both blows landed squarely on his adversary’s sore nose, bringing two plainly audible grunts from the big man.
Kester threw one hand to his nose. As he did so, Dan planted a swift, powerful blow, this time in his adversary’s stomach. The force of it sent Bill staggering half way across the ring.
The spectators fairly yelled themselves hoarse.
“You’re all right, Dynamite! You’ll be a champion some day, when you wake up.”
But Bill was boxing again. The blows on his nose had enraged him beyond endurance. ”

“ Kester suddenly rushed him and Dan rushed Kester. They met with a bang, neither giving ground to the other for several seconds. The big man was the first to back away. Dan’s sole object in life now appeared to be to land his eight-ounce gloves on the unfortunate nose of his antagonist. He played for the nose with all the skill and cunning that he possessed. In the meantime Bill was reaching wildly for the younger man’s stomach, upon which he seemed unable to land, and getting a bang on the nose nearly every time he attempted it, much to his disgust. ”

“ Sam was about to make a retort when Dan pinched him sharply.
“Keep still. You will get into trouble.”
Sam’s freckles were standing out again and his shock of red hair seemed to be rising higher.
“He—he threatened me—he gave me a dare. I’ll make him wish he were back in Pennsylvania,” protested Sam belligerently.
“Take my advice and do nothing of the sort. You forget that everything we do now will count for or against us. It won’t do to start in on our career with bad conduct marks against us.” ”

“ The ship had poked her nose out into the open sea by this time, the “Long Island” rising and falling gracefully on an easy swell.
“What did he say?” questioned Sam.
“I’ll confess that I did not understand a word of it,” answered Dan. “I don’t see why those mates cannot talk plain United States.”
The command was followed by a bustling about the decks. Men hurriedly brought out their deck swabs, implements somewhat resembling mops. Others brought pails which they filled from the taps on deck, while still others coupled hose to pipes along the sea gutters. ”

“ The corridor was narrow and close, and Sam soon grew restive. Espying a chair a little way from him, he helped himself to it and sat down, crossing his legs.
Just then an officer came hurrying through the corridor.
“See here, my man, what are you doing there?” he demanded.
“Captain’s orderly, sir,” answered Sam, saluting.
“Get up! Don’t you know an orderly is supposed to remain on his feet? Never sit down when on duty. Stand at attention when the captain comes out and remain that way until he has passed. After that, follow him.” ”

“ The ensign drew a deep breath of relief.
“Gangway! Let me have a hand, lads,” he cried.
But the men stood fast.
“You are not fit for it, sir,” answered Dan Davis, barring the way. “Please, sir, sit down and rest yourself. We are fresh and you are not.”
“You are——”
The words seemed to stick in the ensign’s mouth.
“My lad, I think you have quite as much right to rest as have I. Stand aside,” he added in a stern tone.
Dan fell back. The officer began working over the body of the diver, bringing his longer experience into play. In a very short time Kester was coughing and choking. ”

“ Dan did so briefly.
“The coward!” muttered the boatswain’s mate, upon hearing how Kester had knocked Sam Hickey down. “Meet him, by all means.”
“But, sir, shall I not be disciplined for so doing?”
“No, lad. Fighting, it is true, is severely punished on board the ships of the Navy, but boxing is encouraged. We are all fighting men; therefore we should all know how to fight, under proper regulations. You will get fair play; the men will see to that.” ”

“ Sam’s billet was next to that of Louis Flink. The former was not aware of this until that night, when the lads turned in at the sound of the bugle. So close were their hammocks that either boy might have reached out and touched the other. Sam had turned in after several disastrous attempts and much quiet grumbling. Dan caught the knack of it more quickly, and so did Flink.
“Say, freckles, you’re a thickhead,” jeered Flink.
“I’d rather be a thickhead than a Pennsylvania Dutchman, any day,” retorted the freckle-faced boy. “There’s some hope for a thickhead, but there isn’t any for you.” ”

“ Give a jackie a deck swab, put him in bare feet, and he is happy.”
“I don’t see anything to get excited about in scrubbing decks,” grumbled Sam.
“You will after you have been in the service longer. By the way, the smoke lamp is lighted. Fall to, lads.”
“You mean——”
“Go take your smoke. Light up your pipes.”
“We do not smoke, sir,” replied Dan.
“No, we don’t smoke,” added Sam. “But we eat.”
“That is all right. A great many of the boys do not smoke these days, and it is a good thing. Now, in my time, everybody smoked. But things have changed on the sea as well as elsewhere.” ”

“ For the next hour there was a steady splash, splash as the swabs worked back and forth over the deck, the latter running rivers of water from hose and pail.
“Well, how do you like Field Day?” questioned the mate who had first instructed the lads in their duties.
It was after the mess hour and all hands were resting preparatory to taking up the duties of the afternoon.
“What’s a Field Day?” asked Sam.
“When all hands turn to to clean ship. You see, ships get in rather bad condition, regarding cleanliness, after having been in port for some time.”
“Do the men like to clean ship?” ”

“ Dan Davis drew a long sigh.
“Come,” he said.
“Where?”
“Somewhere where we can spend our last fifty cents for a meal. That will be the last meal we shall have until we get to Newport. Then we will look about some. We have several hours before the boat leaves. We shall probably get lost the first thing we do, but we have plenty of time in which to find ourselves,” added Dan, with a short laugh.
Naturally, the ships that lined one side of South Street, along which they were strolling, held the greatest interest for them. ”

“ The instant he saw the officers in the quarters his hand mechanically came up in salute.
A ray of sunlight slanted across the hand as he stood there. Sam caught his breath sharply, then an eager look overspread his face. He hesitated a moment; then, springing over to where Flink was standing, Sam grabbed the hand, jerking it sharply down, examining it briefly in the few seconds that elapsed ere Flink could resist.
“Attention!” commanded Lieutenant Commander Devall. “What does this mean?”
“If you will examine this man’s hand, I think you will understand, sir,” answered Sam, saluting. ”

“ But, being an officer, perhaps I might ask some one.”
“Do not presume too much on your promotion,” warned Dan. “You are only a very little officer. You may lose that rating if you are not careful.”
“Then I’ll get struck by lightning again, and get another one,” answered Sam confidently.
That night the boys swung themselves up into their hammocks, full of anticipation of what lay before them on the following day. It seemed as if they had no sooner gotten to sleep than the bugle sounded the reveille. ”

“ And, besides, it proves that everybody cannot get into Uncle Sam’s Navy. A fellow has got to be a real man if he wants to be a jackie these days,” added Dan somewhat proudly. “I wonder what they are talking about?”
“We’ll know in a minute. There comes that quartermaster fellow,” answered Sam.
The lads rose as he stepped up to them.
“Have we passed?” questioned Dan, unable to repress his anxiety.
“Your examination has been satisfactory, but the commander desires to speak with you. That is the commander at the roll top desk yonder. Step over, but be very respectful. ”

“ Control your temper. Unless you are able to manage your own temper you will never be fit to manage other men. You will have to conquer yourself before you can look for promotion in the service.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You will be placed in the brig for two days, on bread and water, with one full ration in the middle of the second day. And, Kester!” ”

“ The officer in charge of the whaleboat grumbled at being thus obliged to turn back and travel some distance to reach the wherry. The latter had by this time cast out an anchor so as to hold the boat in place near the spot where the mine had gone down.
“What is this for?” demanded Sam, clambering over into 216 the wherry, his clothes still wet and dripping.
“I did not think best to ask the captain for his reasons for giving the orders,” answered Dan, with a meaning smile.
“I didn’t mean that. Look out, the ship is making signals. Why don’t you tend to your business?” demanded Sam. ”

“ Later on Sam rejoined his companion.
“How is it going to be carried off?” questioned Dan.
“The men are going to pick out a referee. You and Kester are to box with eight ounce gloves until the referee stops you, or either of you decide you have had enough. You will get a fair show, the boys say. They won’t stand for Bill’s punishing you brutally. They admire your pluck in meeting him. If you could thrash him, Dan Davis, I’d be willing to go to the brig again, and feed on bread and water for a month.” ”

“ It’s all the same.”
“I will now show you through the ship, as you will be required to be familiar with it. Learn all you can. Learn the name of everything on board, for all this knowledge will be needed some of these days when you come up for promotion. I presume you have ambitions to rise to higher grades?”
“We are going to do so, sir,” answered Dan promptly.
“That is the way to talk. You will win with that spirit. Nothing can stop you. Now, come with me and take a look at the ‘Long Island.’”
“There we go again,” laughed Sam. “What time do we mess, sir?” ”

“ The services of two jackies were required to boost Hickey into his hammock that night at nine o’clock, when hammocks were piped up.
At five o’clock next morning, when the bugle piped all hands out, the red-haired Jackie was in a sad state. His hair was standing up like the quill of a porcupine, fairly bristling with disorder. When Dan helped him down to the deck Sam fell in a heap.
“Brace up!” urged Dan. “Don’t let them think you a landlubber.”
“I don’t care what they think. I’m a sick man.” 126
“Never mind; you will feel better after you get some hot breakfast inside of you.” ”

“ Secretly the captain was well pleased that the bully had gotten such a sound drubbing. The man’s face was a sight. The plasters over the nose plainly located the spot where Sam Hickey’s fists had landed, while the eyes, lips and “cauliflower” ear testified to the power of Dan Davis’s muscular punches.
“Remember, however, Davis, that fighting is discouraged aboard ship. Fighting will be severely dealt with in all instances. Providing a man is acting in self-defense, with no fault on his own part, that fact will be considered in passing upon any disturbance that he may become involved in. ”

“ The surgeon, the instant he had taken a look at the man’s face, however, saw that something more than a stanchion had hit Bill on the nose. All his questions, however, were avoided. On his report to the captain, which the surgeon made every night, was the notation: “Bill Kester, seaman, badly battered face, broken nose, with a deep gash in it, evidently made by some sharp instrument. This man has been undoubtedly in a bloody fight.” ”

“ Sam Hickey nodded and started after his companion across the street. A moment later the lads stood before the picture that had attracted their attention. In the foreground of the picture stood a sailor clad in the uniform of a seaman in Uncle Sam’s Navy, while on beyond him, in the distant background, lay a white battleship, the Stars and Stripes floating from her after staff, a line of signal flags fluttering from the signal halyard just aft of the battleship’s navigating bridge. ”

“ But the battles, I have heard, don’t amount to much. The fighters are provided with boxing gloves and the fight is more of a boxing match than a battle. When it has gone far enough it is stopped, the winner being the one who has scored the most points. One of the men was telling me about it. It isn’t very different from the boxing matches you used to take part in when we were in the High School, is it?” suggested Sam.
“No,” answered Dan somewhat doubtfully. “But this Kester is a loafer, and I do not like to trust him. I am not timid, but I want to win promotion in the service.” ”