Thereupon the clerk, who was a very clean personage, and could not bear that his teeth should be dirty, agreed to accept the one in use, as Jack could not part with the other.
The exchange was made, and Jack read the articles of war over and over again, till he thought he was fully master of them.
"Now," says Jack, "I know what I am to do, and what I am to expect, and these articles of war I will carry in my pocket as long as I'm in the service; that is to say, if they last so long: and provided they do not, I am able to replace them with another old tooth-brush, which appears to be the value attached to them." The Harpy remained a fortnight in Gibraltar Bay, and Jack had occasionally a run on shore, and Mr Asper invariably went with him to keep him out of mischief; that is to say, he allowed him to throw his money away on no one more worthless than himself.
One morning Jack went down in the berth, and found young Gossett blubbering.
"What's the matter, my dear Mr Gossett ?" inquired Jack, who was just as polite to the youngster as he was to anybody else.
"Vigors has been thrashing me with a rope's end," replied Gossett, rubbing his arm and shoulders.
"What for ?" inquired Jack.

"Because he says the service is going to hell--( I'm sure it's no fault of mine)--and that now all subordination is destroyed, and that upstarts join the ship who, because they have a five-pound note in their pocket, are allowed to do just as they please.
He said he was determined to uphold the service, and then he knocked me down--and when I got up again he told me that I could stand a little more--and then he took out his colt, and said he was determined to ride the high horse--and that there should be no Equality Jack in future." "Well," replied Jack.

"And then he colted me for half an hour, and that's all." "By de soul of my fader, but it all for true, Massa Easy--he larrup um, sure enough--all for noting, bad luck to him--I tink," continued Mesty, "he hab debelish bad memory--and he want a little more of Equality Jack." "And he shall have it too," replied our hero; "why it's against the articles of war, 'all quarrelling, fighting, &c.' I say, Mr Gossett, have you got the spirit of a louse ?" "Yes," replied Gossett.
"Well, then, will you do what I tell you next time, and trust to me for protection ?" "I don't care what I do," replied the boy, "if you will back me against the cowardly tyrant ?" "Do you refer to me ?" cried Vigors, who had stopped at the door of the berth.
"Say yes," said Jack.

"Yes, I do," cried Gossett.
"You do, do you ?--well, then, my chick, I must trouble you with a little more of this," said Vigors, drawing out his colt.
"I think that you had better not, Mr Vigors," observed Jack.

"Mind your own business, if you please," returned Vigors, not much liking the interference.