"Fine, isn"t it?" jeered Sam, c.o.c.king his head on one side and leering comically.
"What?" queried one of the stoker"s own mates, for the one who had just struggled to his feet could not speak.
"Mud pies, of course," grinned Sam. "Healthful, nourishing and great food, for they make you think and work. But only a hog would gulp down a mouthful like that."
"I"ll-whoof-make you eat some-ugh!-of that-br-r-r!-blamed-waugh!-mud pie-gr-r-r!-o" your"n!" raged the humiliated stoker as he pawed out the last remnants of that muddy mouthful.
Of a sudden the stoker, crouching low, made a vengeful bolt forward. But he did not catch Sam Hickey unawares. That young man dodged, then landed a second and harder blow on the fellow"s jaw. This time Mr. Stoker struck the mud puddle, again face downward, with a force that made the man fairly bury his face in the ooze.
"Last call to the dining car!" yelled Sam, dancing about. "Gone back for a second helping of mud pie! Wow, but it"s good!"
This time the stoker did not regain his feet quite so soon. He had measured his full length in the gutter again, where he lay stretched out, none of his companions making an effort to a.s.sist their fallen shipmate nor to avenge the blow that had laid him low.
"Right hot off the bat," jeered the stokers.
The fallen man was making desperate efforts to pull himself together when a policeman laid a heavy hand on Sam Hickey"s collar.
"That"s the time I caught you in the act, young man. You come with me!"
commanded the officer sternly.
"You leggo of me! I"ll do nothing of the sort," retorted the lad belligerently, struggling to free himself, surprised at his inability to throw off the officer"s grip. It was Sam"s first experience with a New York policeman.
"Yes, let the kid go," shouted the crowd. "He"s all right. He is a winner, even if he did hand it out to a shipmate."
Dan edged his way around in front of the policeman. He saw that Sam"s lips were set tight and knew that this meant trouble.
"Take it easy, Sam," warned Dan in a low tone. "Officer, this boy has done nothing worse than to punish a ruffian. It is the other man whom you ought to arrest, if anyone."
"What"s this you say? Don"t you dare interfere with an officer, young man, or in you go!"
"I am not interfering, sir."
"You are, but you"d better not."
"I am just trying to explain. That fellow there, picking himself up from the ground, kicked the old apple woman"s wagon into the air. See, she"s just crawling out from under it now. I should not be surprised if she were hurt. Pretty much all her wares are spoiled, as you can see for yourself."
"He did--"
"My friend Sam punched the fellow, but the man deserved it. I should have done it myself if he had not, though I am sure I could not have done so thorough a job."
"You-you say the stoker there kicked the old woman"s cart over?"
questioned the policeman.
"Yes, sir."
"And your friend handed him one for it?"
"_Two_ of them."
"And who are you fellows, anyway?"
Dan gave the officer their names and addresses.
"What are you doing here?"
"We are sailors in the United States Navy," answered Dan proudly. "We are on our way to the training station at Newport. You had better not detain us, or there may be trouble."
The policeman grinned broadly.
"Beat it, then," he commanded, giving Sam a sudden shove that excited that young man"s anger somewhat. "Get out of here both of you, before I run you in for disturbing the peace. Here, you stokers, you clear out, too, and don"t you let me catch you raising any more rows on my beat or your ship will sail without you when she goes out again. Off with you!"
While all this had been happening, the old apple woman had been busily engaged in gathering her stock in trade. The loss of a few dozen apples would have been serious to her. But now she hobbled toward Hickey, resting a withered hand on his coat sleeve.
"I-I don"t know how to thank you, young man," she quavered.
"I"m glad you don"t, ma"am," answered Sam, uncovering as quickly as though the little old woman had been an admiral"s wife. "The thanks of the ladies always embarra.s.s me, ma"am. But I"m glad I settled your bill against that sea-going miner."
Now the two brand-new fighting men of the Navy edged quickly away from the crowd that was growing every instant.
"Come on, Sam," urged Dan. "Let"s go over and take a look at Broadway,"
linking his arm within that of his companion and leading him from the scene. "We have begun our fighting career rather early, it strikes me."
"No; I"ve changed my mind. I don"t want to go to Broadway," objected Sam, pulling back.
"What do you wish to do?" demanded Dan suspiciously.
"I want to hang around here and see the fun," answered Hickey.
"Right about face! March!" commanded Dan.
Sam eyed his companion resentfully, then, turning sharply about, fell into a military stride, with his face turned toward Broadway.
CHAPTER II-IN UNCLE SAM"S NAVY
"Do you know where you are going?"
"No, but I shall find out pretty soon, Sam."
Dan Davis paused, pointing off over the beautiful Narragansett Bay to where the cage masts of two big battleships were observable, towering high above a point of land.
"Do you see them?"
"Yes."
"Who knows but we may be on one of those ships in three months from now.