that expression meaning that he would like to subject
them to disciplinary castigation over a gun.
    However, Billy's rendering of the matter satisfactorily accounted to these
inquirers for the brief commotion, since of all the sections of a ship's company
the forecastlemen, veterans for the most part, and bigoted in their
sea-prejudices, are the most jealous in resenting territorial encroachments,
especially on the part of any of the afterguard, of whom they have but a sorry
opinion, chiefly landsmen, never going aloft except to reef or furl the
mainsail, and in no wise competent to handle a marling-spike or turn in a
dead-eye, say.
 

                                      XIII

This incident sorely puzzled Billy Budd. It was an entirely new experience; the
first time in his life that he had ever been personally approached in underhand
intriguing fashion. Prior to this encounter he had known nothing of the
afterguardsman, the two men being stationed wide apart, one forward and aloft
during his watch, the other on deck and aft.
    What could it mean? And could they really be guineas, those two glittering
objects the interloper had held up to his (Billy's) eyes? Where could the fellow
get guineas? Why, even buttons, spare buttons, are not so plentiful at sea. The
more he turned the matter over, the more he was nonplussed, and made uneasy and
discomforted. In his disgustful recoil from an overture which though he but ill
comprehended he instinctively knew must involve evil of some sort, Billy Budd
was like a young horse fresh from the pasture suddenly inhaling a vile whiff
from some chemical factory, and by repeated snortings tries to get it out of his
nostrils and lungs. This frame of mind barred all desire of holding further
parley with the fellow, even were it but for the purpose of gaining some
enlightenment as to his design in approaching him. And yet he was not without
natural curiosity to see how such a visitor in the dark would look in broad day.
    He espied him the following afternoon in his first dog-watch below, one of
the smokers on that forward part of the upper gun-deck allotted to the pipe. He
recognised him by his general cut and build, more than by his round freckled
face and glassy eyes of pale blue veiled with lashes all but white. And yet
Billy was a bit uncertain whether indeed it were he - yonder chap about his own
age, chatting and laughing in free-hearted way, leaning against a gun; a genial
young fellow enough to look at, and something of a rattle-brain, to all
appearance