Battleship Boys at Sea; Or, Two Apprentices in Uncle Sam's Navy

by Frank Gee Patchin

  CHAPTER XVIII--THE ORDERLY TAKES A HEADER

  "He's going overboard!" roared a chorus of voices. "Nail him!"

  They did "nail" him, but not a second too soon, and Kester was hauledback into the ring amid a great uproar. Dan was standing in the centerof the roped enclosure, his face a bit more pale than usual, but in noother way did he exhibit emotion. By this time Sam was at his side,rapidly stripping the gloves from the hands of the victor.

  "It was great--the greatest fight I ever saw in my life!" cried thered-headed boy excitedly.

  "It was not. It was tough, but I had to do it," replied Dan moodily. "Ijust had to do it to save myself. He would have given me a terriblebeating had I not finished him. I saw that early, and tried to get himto call it a draw. He refused, so there was nothing left for me exceptto finish it right there. I am glad he did not go overboard. That wouldhave 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 Battleship Boy, they hoisted him to theirshoulders and began marching about the deck shouting and singing, thoughDan much preferred not to have his victory celebrated in this manner.There was no restraining the jackies, however. From a raw recruit DanDavis 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 fromboyhood to manhood in their estimation.

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

  "I'm sorry, Kester. I hope I have not hurt you," said Dan in a tone ofdeep 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 youfair 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 itthat way, it surely is not my fault. But I give you fair warning. Keepaway 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 tomeet you half way."

  "That's the talk, Dynie," chorused several voices approvingly. "You hadbetter not fool with the fire any more, Bill. It burns. You ain't in thesame class with that stick of dynamite. He's got you anchored with bothport and starboard anchors and the chains not half out."

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

  "What? Ashamed for licking the ship's bully?"

  "Yes."

  "Well, ain't that a joke, mates?"

  The sailors laughed loudly. In the meantime, Kester's seconds had gottenhim up, and were helping him to a sheltered part of the superstructure,where they assisted him to get into his clothes. The big man was stillvery unsteady on his feet, and his face was streaked with blood from theunfortunate 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 andbolster up the flattened nose.

  "You've been in a fight again, my man," rebuked the surgeon. "I shallhave 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 manmust have an awful punch."

  The surgeon's report was duly made to the captain. The latter called hisexecutive officer at once.

  "See here, Coates, what's this about Kester having been in anotherfight?" he demanded after the executive officer had responded to hissummons.

  "It wasn't a fight, sir."

  "Not a fight?"

  "No, sir. That is, it was a boxing match on the forecastle. One of theregular set-tos. It was all regular and proper, but it was pretty rough,I understand."

  "Who did it?"

  "Ordinary Seaman Davis."

  "The red-headed boy?"

  "No, his friend."

  "You don't mean to tell me that that slim youngster put a man ofKester's build in such shape that he had to report at sick bay, do you?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "Why, I thought Kester was known as a bully?"

  "He was, sir. He will not be any longer, I imagine."

  The captain gazed at his executive officer; then, leaning back in hischair, he laughed and chuckled to himself for a full minute.

  While fighting and brawling were sternly suppressed on board the "LongIsland," the commanding officer believed that fighting men should beallowed to fight under proper conditions. It had become an unwritten lawon board, therefore, that the jackies were to be allowed to settle theirdifficulties with the gloves, sparring under a referee and with nobrutality. This enabled the sailor lads to enjoy many a fine sparringmatch on the forward deck. In fact, bouts were put on regularly everySaturday night. In doing this the men managed occasionally to pitagainst each other men who had a grudge to settle. This made the sportmore real.

  Kester had demanded the match with Davis, and the latter had no way toavoid the meeting without laying himself open to a charge of cowardice.Dan Davis was not a coward, neither was he a bully. He wished to be letalone, and he had gone into the fight with reluctance, as the readeralready knows. Now that it was over, he was heartily ashamed of himselffor his part in the battle.

  "Did any of our officers see the fight, Coates?" asked the captain.

  "Yes, sir. Ensigns Brant and Cockrill watched it from the bridge. Theytell me it was perfectly regular. I made inquiry. They say the recruit,Davis, put it over the big fellow like a deck awning, though the youngfellow evidently was reluctant to fight."

  "I am glad to hear that."

  "I think Kester was to blame for the previous trouble with the otherboy."

  "No doubt. I shall make inquiry into that matter as well. I want to makesure that that fellow is trying to stir up trouble on board. When I amcertain we will give him a quick trial and put him ashore one of thesedays."

  "You will take no official action on this last fight, then?"

  "Certainly not, since you say it was entirely regular."

  "It was, sir."

  "Then there is nothing mere to be said. Candidly, between ourselves,Coates, I'm more pleased than I know how to express that the youngfellow gave Kester a sound thrashing. By the way, I should like to lookthat young man over."

  "Very good, sir. Shall I send him to you?"

  "No, not that way. I'll tell you what you had better do. Have both boysassigned as my orderlies in turn. I want these new men to get an earlychance at orderly duty. It is a most excellent thing for them. SendHickey to-morrow."

  "Very good, sir."

  "I would rather have my own boys act as my orderlies than have themarines do it."

  The captain's orderly is supposed to stand outside the captain's door atall times while the commanding officer is in his quarters. When thecaptain moves to any other part of the ship his orderly follows at arespectful distance, so as to be on hand to carry orders and to performsuch other small duties as the captain may command. It is considered anhonor to be chosen for the duty.

  Soon after the finish of the fight Dan and Sam hurried to their quartersto turn in. Sam was chuckling over his companion's great victory. Dansurveyed him with disapproving eyes.

  "Dan, I have always looked upon you as a nice, sisterly sort of a chum."

  "Well?" questioned Dan, with a smile.

  "You're a bloodthirsty wretch, that's what you are. Good night."

  * * * * *

  Late that night a full gale sprang up. Word of the weather conditionswas brought to the captain.

  "Heave up the anchors and
get under way at once," was the command. "Tellthe chief engineer to get ready as soon as possible. How many boilersare fired up?"

  "Six, sir."

  "Have the fires put under the other two at once. We must put to sea andride the gale out there."

  The captain quickly dressed and hurried up to the bridge. The spray wasdashing clear over the bridge, soaking everything and everyone on it. Inthe meantime a boatswain's mate was bawling out his orders through theship, hurriedly turning out the various watches.

  Dan and Sam were awakened by the heavy rolling of the ship. Both sat upin their hammocks at the same instant.

  "What's going on?" asked Dan as he heard men hurrying along the decks totheir stations.

  "Maybe the ship is sinking," suggested the cheerful Sam.

  "Nonsense!"

  "I'm going to get up, anyway."

  "You have no right to do so until you are piped down. You will be calledout if you are wanted."

  "You mean to say that I can't get up if I want to?"

  "Certainly not. You are supposed to stay in your hammock and get yourrest."

  "Not if the ship is sinking!"

  "Oh, that would be different. I guess we would all be getting out inthat event."

  "Huh!" muttered Sam, lying back in his swaying hammock, listening to thewind whistling through the cage masts far above them.

  In a short time the ship was under way, moving slowly as she headed outto sea. The storm was in no sense dangerous to the ship's welfare, butit was safer to be out in the open until the gale should have blownitself out.

  When the men were piped out the next morning the Battleship Boys foundit difficult to keep right side up. Dan was unaffected by the rollingand plunging, but Sam had little appetite for his breakfast.

  The morning work having been finished Sam was accosted by themaster-at-arms.

  "You will act as the captain's orderly to-day, Hickey," he said.

  "Orderly?"

  "Yes."

  Sam did not know whether to be glad or sorry.

  "Just before eight bells go to your quarters and put on your cleanclothes. See that you are ship-shape. I don't know why the commandingofficer wants you."

  "Thank you, sir. I report at eight bells?"

  "Yes."

  "Where?"

  "I'll let you know. Wherever the captain chances to be at that moment.Quite likely he will be at his breakfast. He is on the bridge atpresent."

  "What do you think of that, Dan?" demanded Sam slowly, confiding to hiscompanion the order that had just been given to him.

  "I think it fine. It looks as if you had gotten into the captain's goodgraces. I hope so. See that you perform your duties in a ship-shapemanner. Keep your head working all the time. I should call it almost apromotion."

  "I hope I don't get seasick," muttered Sam doubtfully. "This rolling isawful."

  An hour later, Sam Hickey made his way down the after gangway to thecaptain's quarters, clad in a spotless white uniform, his braided whiteknife-lanyard drooping gracefully across his chest and disappearing inthe pocket of the blouse.

  "I've come to relieve you as the captain's orderly," announced Sam tothe marine, who was acting in that capacity.

  The orderly returned the nod and hurried away, for he had not yet hadhis breakfast.

  Sam braced himself against a wall in the corridor with his eyes fixed onthe swaying curtain that shut off the room in which the captain wasbreakfasting at that moment. The corridor was narrow and close, and Samsoon grew restive. Espying a chair a little way from him, he helpedhimself 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 comesout and remain that way until he has passed. After that, follow him."

  "Aye, aye, sir."

  The Battleship Boy peered after the retreating form of the officer.

  "Seems to me they are mighty particular. I'd like to be up where I couldget some air. I wonder if I dare take a sneak to the deck for a whiff?"

  Sam did not get the chance just then. It was well for him that he didnot, for he would have been severely punished for deserting his post hadhe been discovered away from it. He started as a sharp command came,from behind the curtain.

  "Ord'ly!"

  "Who's calling, I wonder?" muttered the boy.

  "Ord'ly!" This time the command was given in a more imperative tone.

  "I'll bet that is the captain. He's calling me. Yes, sir! I'll be rightthere," shouted Sam, with delightful informality.

  He started on a run for the curtained doorway. He did not slacken hisspeed as he stretched out a hand to thrust the curtain aside. Sam was inso great a hurry that he entirely forgot that under each watertight dooropening was an iron sill extending upward some eight inches.

  Sam's toe caught the projection. Just then the battleship gave a greatlurch to port. This being the direction in which the boy was travelingat that moment, it gave him added impetus.

  The captain opened his eyes in amazement as Hickey's red-head shotthrough the curtain.

  The Battleship Boy covered about half the width of the cabin, barelytouching the floor with his feet, his arms beating the air wildly in hisfruitless effort to clutch something that was not moving.

  Then the crash came.

  Sam landed on his head and shoulders, skated along the slippery floor,headed for the captain's breakfast table. He hit the mark squarely. Thatis, he slid right underneath the table, at the same time turning over onhis back in an effort to stop his rapid flight.

  Sam threw up his feet. The move was fatal. The captain's table waslifted right up into the air. A crashing of dishes followed as the tableturned turtle. A shower of broken glassware rained down over the head ofthe Battleship Boy followed quickly by the table itself.

  Sam lay buried beneath the wreckage.

  He did not move, not because he could not, but because he dared not. Hefeared any movement on his part would mean the end of the world so faras he was concerned.