not satisfy the wishes of either the Captain or his
officers or crew. Among those most eager for the fight was Billy True
Blue Freeborn. That was the way in which his name had been entered in
the ship's books. He recollected clearly what a battle was, though he
had not been engaged in one since that fierce engagement when he lost
his friend and chief, Captain Penrose.

Since then, he had been for the greater part of the time at sea, partly
on board a man-of-war, but mostly in merchantmen and coasters, where
Paul Pringle took him, that, as he said, he might not be afraid of rocks
and shoals, or the look of a lee-shore in a gale of wind. Out of all
that time he had only remained three years on shore, as his kind
guardian remarked, "to get his edication, and to larn manners."

Paul Pringle used to boast among his friends that Billy True Blue was
already a perfect seaman, and that he would sooner trust him at the helm
on a squally night, or on the lookout forward on a dark one, than he
would most men twice his age; but he took care never to say this in True
Blue's own hearing, lest, as he observed, "the lad should larn to think
too much of hisself."

True Blue had not been long on board the _Ruby_ before he became a
favourite with most of his new shipmates. Had he not had watchful
guardians about him, he would soon have been spoilt by them. To see him
dance the hornpipe, while Sam Smatch played his old fiddle, was, as his
admirers declared, "indeed a pleasure not to be met with any day in the
week," except on board the _Ruby_. How he could shuffle and spring, and
whirl, and whisk, and snap his fingers! He looked as if he was made of
India-rubber, filled with quicksilver. And then he had a very good
voice and a fair notion of singing, and right merrily he could troll
forth some of those stirring sea-songs which have animated the gallant
tars of Old England to perform deeds of the greatest heroism, and have
served to beguile and soothe many an hour of their existence on the
ocean, far away from home and all its softening influences.

There were several other boys on board the frigate, among whom,
naturally, True Blue took the lead. He was good-natured to all of them.
If they quarrelled with him, as some would, and would insist on having
it out with him in a fight with fists, he generally managed to make them
very cautious about trying the same experiment again.

There was one big fellow, Gregory Gipples by name