ge he had mentioned, saying to me, "Sorr, give me the burrd."

I had a little difficulty in extricating the starling from its safe
retreat, for it had crept within my flannel shirt inside my jacket,
tickling me as it moved; but, going carefully to work, I finally
succeeded in taking it out without hurting it. Then, placing the little
fluttering thing in the cage, the boatswain bore it off to his bunk,
giving me an expressive wink as he took it away, as if to say that it
would be safer and more out of harm's way in his keeping, albeit I was
quite at liberty to reclaim the bird when I pleased.

"Now, jintlemin," said Tim, addressing Weeks and myself after putting
the innocent cause of our quarrel inside his cabin and locking the door
to prevent accidents, as he shrewdly observed, "if ye're both av ye
riddy an' willin', as it's goin' on for the sicond dog-watch, whin all
hands are allers allowed at say to skoilark an' devart theirsilves, ye
can follow me out on the fo'c's'le, me jokers, an' have y'r shindy out
fairly in a friendly way."

I didn't want to fight Weeks, I'm sure; for I was not of a quarrelsome
disposition, besides which my father had cautioned me against ever
having any disputes with my comrades, if I could avoid such; although he
told me also at the same time always to act courageously in the defence
of my principles and of my rights, or when I took the part of another
unable to defend himself. Here, therefore, was a quarrel forced upon
me, almost against my will, to save the poor starling's life; and,
beyond that, the aggravating way in which Weeks looked at me and shook
his fist in my face would have provoked even a better-tempered boy than
I. Tom Jerrold said afterwards that I turned quite white, as I always
did when excited; while Weeks, on the contrary, was naming with fury and
as red as a lobster.

"Come on, you coward!" he blustered, thinking I was afraid of him.
"I'll soon let you know what it is to have a good hiding, my fine
gentleman of a parson's son. You only floored me just now because you
caught me unawares."

"I'm quite ready, Mr Rooney," said I to the boatswain, paying no
attention to the cur's snobbish bravado; but I felt his sneer against my
father's profession keenly, and had to bite my lip to prevent myself
from replying to it. I added, however, for his personal benefit as I
turned my back on him in contempt, "Those who crow the loudest, I've
heard, generally do the least when