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Gipples, not perceiving that Tim was joking, looked up and said in a half-crying tone: "Yes, I do; if any on you chaps will come, I'll bolt that I will." On this there was a general laugh. "I'd just like to see you," said Tim, "whether you'd go down or come up the fastest. If every man was to do as you'd do, I should like to know what would become of the ship.

All hands were called up, the frigate was cleared for action, and the men went to their quarters. Every glass was turned towards the approaching strangers. "We shall have another scrimmage that we shall!" exclaimed Tim Fid to True Blue. "I wonder what Gipples will do this time?" "It's a pity he ever came to sea again after the last cruise," answered Billy.

There was one big fellow, Gregory Gipples by name, who set himself up as a sort of leader among the other boys as soon as he came on board, though he had never before been at sea. He was a big hulking fellow; and as he had a certain amount of cleverness about him, he tried to make it appear that he knew a great deal more about things than he really did.

They were on board almost as soon as the anchor was dropped. True Blue glanced eagerly forward. Paul Pringle was on the forecastle, call in mouth, issuing the necessary orders for furling sails. Peter Ogle was not to be seen, nor was Abel Bush, but they might be about some duty below; nor were Tim Fid nor Gregory Gipples visible, though they ought to have been on deck.

Gipples and several others like him looked at their overpowering enemy, and some went below to fetch out their bags, for the sake of putting on their best clothing. "I don't see why we should go for to have our heads shot away, or get our legs and arms knocked off, just for the sake of what the Captain calls honour and glory," observed Gipples in a low voice to those standing near him.

The sooner you goes home and learns to hem or sell dog's meat the better." The wretched Gipples saw that his feelings gained no sympathy. He tried to back out of his proposal, but his tormentors were in no way inclined to let him alone, till at last they made so much noise that they were called to order by the men standing at the guns nearest them.

Big Gipples was in no way liking the look of things; and only the conviction that he would be sent up again with a rope's end prevented him jumping off his tub and running down to stow himself away in the hold. The other boys, though not aware of the excess of his terror, maliciously wished to frighten him in retaliation for his bullying.

There was the whole crew of the Harpy sloop, taken off here, treated in that way that I know of to a certainty. The Captain was a very fat man, so his flesh fetched twice as much a pound as the others; and when they served him up at dinner, they ornamented the dish with his epaulets and the gold lace off his coat." Gipples opened his eyes very wide, and did not at all like the description.

Gipples ought to have been seated on his powder tub, but he was not. He had been seen to go forward. Fid looked anxiously for him. He did not return. A considerable time passed. No Gipples appeared, and Fid felt sure that he must have slipped purposely overboard. Still Fid was not as happy as usual. True Blue asked him what was the matter. He told him of his fears about Gipples.

Everything on board the frigate was prepared for flight or battle; and, in spite of the probability of having to contend with a superior force, the crew showed by their remarks that they would infinitely prefer the latter to the former alternative. The only two, probably, on board who wished to avoid a fight were Sam Smatch and Gregory Gipples, who still remained on board.