rt of coma, after the excitement he
has been going through] What! What!

JILL. Oh, Dodo! How splendidly you stuck it!

HILLCRIST. Phew! What a squeak! I was clean out of my depth. A
mercy the Duke chipped in again.

MRS. H. [Looking at ROLF and CHLOE, who are standing up as if about
to go] Take care; they can hear you. Find DAWKER, Jack.

[Below, the AUCTIONEER and SOLICITOR take up their papers, and
move out Left.]

[HILLCRIST stretches himself, standing up, as if to throw off
the strain. The door behind is opened, and HORNBLOWER
appears.]

HORNBLOWER. Ye ran me up a pretty price. Ye bid very pluckily,
Hillcrist. But ye didn't quite get my measure.

HILLCRIST. Oh! It was my nine thousand the Duke capped. Thank
God, the Centry's gone to a gentleman!

HORNBLOWER. The Duke? [He laughs] No, the Gentry's not gone to a
gentleman, nor to a fool. It's gone to me.

HILLCRIST. What!

HOUNBLOWER. I'm sorry for ye; ye're not fit to manage these things.
Well, it's a monstrous price, and I've had to pay it because of your
obstinacy. I shan't forget that when I come to build.

HILLCRIST. D'you mean to say that bid was for you?

HORNBLOWER. Of course I do. I told ye I was a bad man to be up
against. Perhaps ye'll believe me now.

HILLCRIST. A dastardly trick!

HORNBLOWER. [With venom] What did ye call it--a skin game?
Remember we're playin' a skin game, Hillcrist.

HILLCRIST. [Clenching his fists] If we were younger men----

HORNBLOWER. Ay! 'Twouldn't Look pretty for us to be at fisticuffs.
We'll leave the fightin' to the young ones. [He glances at ROLF and
JILL; suddenly throwing out his finger at ROLF] No makin' up to
that young woman! I've watched ye. And as for you, missy, you
leave my boy alone.

JILL. [With suppressed passion] Dodo, may I spit in his eye or
something?

HILLCRIST. Sit down.

[JILL sits down. He stands between her and HORNBLOWER.]

[Yu've won this round, sir, by a foul blow. We shall see
whether you can take any advantage of it. I believe the law
can stop you ruining my property.]

HORNBLOWER. Make your mind easy; it can't. I've got ye in a noose,
and I'm goin' to hang ye.

MRS. H. [Suddenly] Mr. Hornblower, as you fight foul--so shall we.

HILLCRIST. Amy!

MRS. H. [Paying no attention] And it will not be foul play towards
you and yours. You are outside the pale.

HORNBLOWER. That'