irst
time it occurred to him that he had been imprudent in developing his
plans to another.

"No! You won't lick me, too--will you?"

"Not if you behave like a man, and don't peach," answered Clyde, in a
patronizing tone.

"I will try to be a good boy, then," laughed Scott.

"I only want to catch them on shore, where I can have fair play. I'm
not to be fagged by any fellow that ever was born."

Clyde walked uneasily about the deck till the crew were piped to
dinner, evidently thinking how he should carry his big intentions into
execution. To one less moved by fancied insults and indignities the
case would have looked hopeless. He devoured his dinner in a much
shorter period than is usually allotted by well-bred Englishmen to
that pleasing diversion, and hastened on deck again. Peaks was there,
acting as ship-keeper, while the carpenter was painting the second
cutter, the repairs upon which had been completed. The big boatswain
was seated on one of the cat-heads, where he could see the entire deck
of the ship, and observe every craft that approached her. The new
student observed his position, and thought he was seated in a very
careless manner. A very wicked thought took possession of the Briton's
mind, and he ascended to the top-gallant forecastle. The boatswain sat
very composedly on the cat-head, with his feet hanging over the water,
and was just then studying the beauties of the landscape. A very
slight exercise of force would displace him, and drop him into the
water.

"Well, my hearty, you stowed your grub in a hurry," said Peaks, when
he discovered the new pupil.

"I was not very hungry, and thought I would take another look at the
town," replied Clyde. "What's that big building off there, near the
hills?"

"That may be the county jail, the court-house, or the lunatic asylum.
I haven't the least idea what it is," answered Peaks, indifferently.
"The professors can tell you all about those things."

"I wonder where that ship came from?" added Clyde, pointing to a
vessel which was standing in ahead of the Young America.

"That isn't a ship," replied Peaks, as he turned partly round, so that
he could see the craft. "That's a 'mofferdite brig; or, as bookish
people would say, an hermaphrodite brig--half brig and half schooner.
You must call things, especially vessels, by their right names, or you
will fall in the opinion of--"

At that instant the big boatswain dropped into the deep waters of the
fjord.