was just that stiff,
punctilious-mannered, grey-eyed person, for whom I have had always a
peculiar antipathy. He hummed and hawed, and looked sternly at me, as
if he could have eaten me up, and thought my presence especially
impertinent; but budge for him I would not, till desired by my cousin to
do so. At last he had to say, "I beg your pardon, Commander Ceaton, but
the business I have come on cannot be discussed in the presence of a
youngster."

"Go on deck, Marmaduke," said my cousin.

Unwillingly I obeyed. My worst apprehensions were confirmed. Captain
Staghorn was resolved to carry out his diabolical intentions. What
could be done? I felt that Charles Ceaton had never fired a pistol
except in open warfare, and as to practising for the sake of being the
better able to kill a fellow-creature, I knew that was abhorrent to his
nature.

I hurried on deck as ordered, but as the skylight was off, and Major
O'Grady spoke in a loud, and it seemed a bullying voice, I could hear
nearly every word he said, nor did I consider myself wrong in drawing
near to listen.

"I am not at all aware of ever having made use of the words imputed to
me," said my cousin, calmly.

"That is as much as to say, Commander Ceaton, that you consider my
friend capable of uttering a falsehood," answered the Major, in a
deliberate tone.

"Not at all, sir. I am simply stating the fact, that I cannot clearly
recall having uttered the expressions you mention," said my cousin.

"Then you do not deny that you said something of the sort; indeed
something to afford my friend Captain Staghorn sufficient ground for
demanding an ample and perfect apology?" said the Major, in his former
slow way.

"I shall deny nothing," said my cousin, at length nettled beyond
endurance. He must be, too, I was certain, well aware of Captain
Staghorn's reputation as a dead shot, and on that account resolved to go
out and fight him. In those days, for an officer of the army of navy to
refuse to fight a duel, however thrust on him, was to be disgraced in
the eyes of his professional brethren, poor weak mortals like
themselves. They forgot that the code of honour by which they chose to
act, was not the code by which they were to be tried in another world.

"Then, Commander Ceaton, you cannot, of course, refuse to give Captain
Staghorn the satisfaction he demands?" said the Major.

"Certainly not," answered my cousin.

"You, of course, have a friend with who