" if they buy three cords of birch - wood , " said the witch,--"but it must be full measure , and they must not bargain for it -- and throw the first cord into the water , billet by billet , when the first breaker strikes , and the second cord , billet by billet , when the second breaker strikes , and the third cord , billet by billet , when the third breaker strikes , then it is all up with us ! " " yes , that 's true , sister , then it is all up with us ! then it is all up with us ! " said the wives of the quartermasters ; " but there is no one who knows it , " they cried , and laughed loudly , and with that they flew out of the hatchway , screaming and croaking like ravens . when it came time to sail , the cabin - boy would not go along for anything in the world ; and all the captain 's coaxing , and all his promises were useless , nothing would tempt him to go . at last they asked him whether he were afraid , because fall was at hand , and said he would rather hide behind the stove , hanging to mother 's apron strings . no , said the youth , he was not afraid , and they could not say that they had ever seen him show a sign of so land - lubberly a thing as fear ; and he was willing to prove it to them , for now he was going along with them , but he made it a condition that three cords of birch - wood were to be bought , full measure , and that on a certain day he was to have command , just as though he himself were the captain . 
he wanted to prove he was brave .
why did the cabin-boy agree to come with them ?
why did the cabin-boy agree to come with them ?