ns.

"Be you goin' to run away?" demanded Ephraim.

"Uf you don'd abologize, I voss a dead man," cried the Dutch lad,
threateningly.

"Ef you don't run away, you're a dead man," declared the Vermonter.

Now it happened that Sammy Smiles had brought along some stale eggs
which he had been keeping for some festive occasion, and he had given
one of them to Frank, while they had come to a perfect understanding as
to the proper manner and the right moment to use them. With the eggs
concealed in their hands, they were waiting for Barney to give the word.

"Come, come, jintlemin," called the Irish lad, sharply. "Take yer
positions, fer Oi'm goin' t' give th' worrud."

"This is your last chance to run away, Dutchy," faltered Ephraim, who
seemed to be losing confidence.

"Dis vos your lasd obbortunity to abologize, Yankee," said Hans, rather
weakly.

"Ready to foire at th' worrud," called Barney.

Hans' teeth were plainly heard to rattle together like dice.

"One!" counted Barney.

"Uf he don'd run avay, I vas reaty to hear him abologize," murmured the
Dutch lad.

"Say!" Ephraim hoarsely whispered to Sammy. "Git a rope an' tie me,
quick! Hang me ef I don't believe my legs is goin' to run the best I
kin do."

"Two!" counted Barney.

"Shimminy Gristmas! vere vas someding I can hide pehind?"

"Great thutteration! I'm a goner!"

"Three--fire!"

Both of the bold duelists turned their heads away, pointed the pistols
at something, and fired.

Bang! bang!

Frank and Sammy Smiles let the eggs fly, and the aim of both was
accurate.

Sammy's egg struck Hans behind the right ear, and spattered all over
the side of the Dutch lad's head, while Frank's egg landed on Ephraim's
neck.

"I vos a deadt man!" squawked the Dutch lad, as he went over in a heap.

"I'm shot, by gum!" squealed the Yankee, as his knees collapsed and he
measured his long length upon the ground.

"Smoke!" cried Barney Mulloy, grasping his nose with both hands. "It
smells loike ye'd both been corpuses fer a long toime!"

"By Jove!" gasped Frank. "That odor is strong enough to lift a safe!"

The other witnesses of the duel roared with laughter, but Hans was
bellowing and Ephraim was groaning so loudly that neither of them heard
the sounds of mirth.

"I can feel mein prains runnin' all ofer der side uf mein headt!"
howled Hans.

"Send for a doctor!" shrieked Ephraim. "I'm covered with blood! My
jubilee vein is cut clean in two, an