'What do you want?' he asked.
'Britain is at war, sir!' Ratcliffe answered. 'I must have some of your men. Call your crew onto the deck!'
The captain of the trading-ship obeyed the order.
He called his sailors onto the main deck. They stood in a line in front of the lieutenant.
Ratcliffe looked at all the men carefully. Most of them were old, ill and weak. He did not want any of these
men. But there was one young man with them. He was strong and handsome. He had bright blue eyes.
'What's your name?' the officer asked the handsome sailor.
'William Budd, sir,' the young man answered. 'People call me Billy Budd, sir.' Lieutenant Ratcliffe smiIed.
'You are young and strong, Billy,' he said. 'I'll take you. I don't want any of the others.' The captain of the
trading-ship was very unhappy.
'You are taking my best man!' he said.
'I'm sorry, Captain,' Ratcliffe replied. 'Billy Budd must fight for his king and his country now. Billy, bring your
things. Be quick!' 'Billy is a hard worker,' the captain said sadIy. 'He is always happy. And all the men in our
crew are happy too. The men don't fight each other any more. And they work hard.'
'Hasn't Billy got any enemies?' Ratcliffe asked.
'What do you want?' he asked.'Britain is at war, sir!' Ratcliffe answered. 'I must have some of your men. Call your crew onto the deck!'The captain of the trading-ship obeyed the order.He called his sailors onto the main deck. They stood in a line in front of the lieutenant.Ratcliffe looked at all the men carefully. Most of them were old, ill and weak. He did not want any of thesemen. But there was one young man with them. He was strong and handsome. He had bright blue eyes.'What's your name?' the officer asked the handsome sailor.'William Budd, sir,' the young man answered. 'People call me Billy Budd, sir.' Lieutenant Ratcliffe smiIed.'You are young and strong, Billy,' he said. 'I'll take you. I don't want any of the others.' The captain of thetrading-ship was very unhappy.'You are taking my best man!' he said.'I'm sorry, Captain,' Ratcliffe replied. 'Billy Budd must fight for his king and his country now. Billy, bring yourthings. Be quick!' 'Billy is a hard worker,' the captain said sadIy. 'He is always happy. And all the men in ourcrew are happy too. The men don't fight each other any more. And they work hard.''Hasn't Billy got any enemies?' Ratcliffe asked.
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