The idea was approved of by all of them, and they all expressed a hope that the opportunity might be allowed them of carrying it into execution. As was intended, it was repeated to the men, and soon passed along the decks, all joining heartily in the wish that, they might thus have the chance of punishing the enemy.
“But what is to be done with little Billy True Blue?” inquired Sam Smatch. “He can’t board with the rest, I guess.”
“No, Sam; but we will have a bodyguard for him,” observed Peter Ogle. “When Paul Pringle comes for’ard, we’ll ax him what he says to it. When we board and drive the Frenchmen before us, the bodyguard, with Billy in the middle, must follow closely after; and then, d’ye see, we shall win a prize, take care of Billy, and lick the Frenchmen all under one.”
When Paul Pringle heard of the plan, he highly approved of it, at the same time that he put the question, “Who’s to take care of Billy, mates, and form this same bodyguard you speak of?”
Now, of course, everybody would wish to do the fighting part, and to be among the first on board the enemy’s ship. Who would form the bodyguard? That was a poser. Of course Sam Smatch would be one; but then by himself he would not be of much use, as his wooden leg might chance to stick in a hole and stop his progress. At last they agreed to refer the matter to the Captain, and to get him to tell off a body of men for that purpose.
Paul Pringle was selected to be the bearer of the message. Hat in hand, he stood before his Captain.
“What is it, Pringle?” asked the old man.
“Why, sir, please you, I be come about the business of the ship’s child, sir, Billy True Blue,” began Paul. “We hear as how we are to get alongside an enemy and to take her, and we’ve been thinking how we are to get little Billy safe aboard if the Terrible, bless her old ribs! was for to take it into her head to go down; and we thinks as how if he was to have a bodyguard, whose business was to keep round him and look after him, seeing as how Sam Smatch can’t do that same by himself, that it would be the best thing for the youngster we can arrange.”
Much more to the same effect Paul explained; and the Captain finally promised that if there was a chance of getting alongside an enemy, he would appoint some men to the duty.
“And what is more, I will place the party under command of Mr Garland,” said the Captain. “Billy is such a pet with him, that I am sure he will do his best to defend him.”