“Not always,” said Harry. “You will do very well for a mate, Newcombe; but I, for one, don’t think we should gain any thing by making you captain. It’s my opinion that Johnny will get that position.”
“O, now, I won’t stand that!” drawled Tom, who had suddenly made up his mind that he was just the one to take command of the sloop. “I like Johnny well enough, but it isn’t right that he should be put over me. I ought to be master of this ship.”
“I don’t want the position,” said Johnny. “I came here to have some fun; and as long as I can enjoy myself, and know that I am safe, it makes no difference to me whether I am a foremast hand or an officer.”
“Then you pass the command to me, don’t you, Harding?” asked Tom, eagerly.
“No he don’t!” shouted several of the boys. “We have something to say about that!”
“We don’t want to raise any fuss now,” said Harry; “but the majority always rules, and Newcombe would give in if he wasn’t such a bull-headed rascal.”
“O, now, look here!” whined the first mate. “I want you to stop calling me a bull-headed rascal. I won’t give in an inch. I ought to be captain of this vessel. I have friends in the starboard watch who will stand by me.”
“Let’s call the other watch up, and hear what they have to say about it,” said Johnny.
“I am in for that,” said another, who was one of Rich’s friends. “I call it a mean trick to run a man down behind his back. You ought to give him a chance to defend himself.”
Some of the boys, accordingly, went into the cabin to arouse their slumbering companions, and presently the watch came on deck, rubbing their eyes and yawning, and acting altogether as if they were very sleepy.