Jack had behaved so well when on board the Indiaman, that Captain
Hudson, her commander, kept him on to assist in looking after the ship
while she was refitting for sea, and once more he sailed in her. Nearly
all the crew had been shipped when Sambo made his appearance and got a
berth on board. Away rolled the old _Belvoir Castle_ laden with a rich
cargo, and full of passengers hoping to gain fortune and fame in the
distant land of the East. None of them, however, took notice of the
young sailor lad, nor did it ever occur to Jack that such grand people
would think of speaking to such as he. How vast was the gap between
them!
It was war time. One morning a strange sail was seen bearing down on
them, but whether friend or foe no one could tell. To escape by flight
was impossible, so the ship was prepared for action. Jack, like the
rest, stripped himself to the waist, and went to his gun with alacrity.
The old hands said they should have a tough job to beat off the enemy,
but they would do their best. An enemy's frigate the stranger proved to
be, but so well were the old Indiaman's guns fought, that she beat off
the frigate with the loss of her foremast. It was an achievement of
which all on board might justly have been proud, though several similar
acts of gallantry were performed during the war. Jack's coolness had
been remarked, and he was called aft, and thanked by Captain Hudson on
the quarter deck for the way in which he had stood to his gun.