"I do, and I won't argue with you, either. Is it yes or no?"
"I don't want to be locked up in some dark hole on your ship."
"Then you are willing to become a sailor?"
"I—er—I suppose so."
"Very well, you can remove your things to the forecastle. Jack Lesher, the first mate, will give you your bunk."
This was "adding insult to injury," as it is termed, so far as Baxter was concerned, for it will be remembered that it was Jack Lesher who had obtained the passage on the Golden Wave for the bully.
But Dan Baxter was given no chance to demur. Taking his traps he went on deck, where Jack Lesher met him, grinning in sickly fashion.
"So you are going to make a change, eh?" said the mate.
"You needn't laugh at me, if I am," growled Baxter.
"I shan't laugh, my boy. It's hard luck," said Lesher. "Come along."
He led the way to the forecastle and gave Baxter a bunk next to that occupied by old Jerry. Then he brought out an old suit of sailor's clothing and tossed it over.
"You've run in hard luck, boy," he said in a
