enough not to give any further cause of
offense. Bestowing one glance at this champion of the tippler's coterie,
he turned aside, and attempted to move towards the door.

"Stop, sir," continued the young man, who plainly wanted to make a little
capital out of a fight, in defense of the dignity of his friends. "You
can't go without an apology, or--or a fight," added the bully, shaking
his head significantly, as he placed himself in front of the young
lieutenant.

"What am I to apologize for?" asked Somers.

"You insulted the whole party of us. You intimated that we were no
gentlemen."

"I haven't spoken to any of you since I came in," protested Somers. "I
never had anything to do with you, and I don't know whether you are
gentlemen or not."

"You hear that, gentlemen!" added the bully.

"I think I have said all that is necessary to say; with your leave I will
go," said Somers.

"Stop, sir!" snarled the young ruffian, putting his hand on the
lieutenant's collar.

"Take your hand off!" said he sternly.

The fellow complied.

"This thing has gone far enough, sir," said Captain de Banyan, stepping
between Somers and his assailant. "Lieutenant Somers is my friend; and,
if you put the weight of your little finger upon him, I'll annihilate you
quicker than I did a certain Austrian field-marshal at the battle of
Solferino. Gentlemen, permit me to apologize for my inexperienced friend
if he has uttered any indiscreet word."

"He must apologize!" blustered the young ruffian. "He says we are no
gentlemen. Let him prove it."

"You have proved it yourself, you little ape," replied the captain, as he
stepped up to the bar, and paid his reckoning, bestowing no more
attention upon the ruffled little bully than if he had been a very small
puppy; which perhaps he was not, by a strict construction of terms.

"I demand satisfaction!" roared the flashy little toper. "Apologize, or
fight!"

"Neither, my gay and festive lark," said the captain with abundant good
humor, as he took Somers's arm, and sauntered leisurely towards the door.
"Now, my dear fellow, we will go and hear what Lieutenant-Colonel
Staggerback has to say about the battle of Bull Run. I was in that
action, and rallied the Fire Zouaves when Colonel Ellsworth was killed."

"Colonel Ellsworth! He wasn't killed at Bull Run!" exclaimed Somers,
astonished beyond measure at the singular character which his companion
was developing.

"You are right; he was kille