l do it at once," cried Captain Dunning, rising and putting on
his hat firmly, as a man does when he has made a great resolve, which he
more than half suspects will get him into a world of difficulties and
trouble.

"I s'pose I may set here till ye come back?" inquired Dick Jones, who
now wore a dim mysterious aspect, in consequence of the cloud of smoke
in which he had enveloped himself.

"You may sit there till they turn you out; but come and take breakfast
with me at the same hour to-morrow, will ye?"

"Won't I?"

"Then good-day."

So saying, the captain left the coffee-house, and hurried to his
sisters' cottage, where he rightly conjectured he should find Glynn
Proctor. Without telling his sisters the result of the interview with
the "rude seaman," he took Glynn's arm and sallied forth in search of
Tim Rokens and Mr Millons, both of whom they discovered enjoying their
pipes, after a hearty breakfast, in a small, unpretending, but excellent
and comfortable "sailors' home," in the dirty little street before
referred to.

The greater part of the crew of the late _Red Eric_ (now "sticks and
stivers") were found in the same place, engaged in much the same
occupation, and to these, in solemn conclave assembled, Captain Dunning
announced his intention of opening a law-suit against the captain of the
_Termagant_ for the unlawful appropriation of the whale harpooned by
Glynn. The men highly approved of what they called a "shore-going
scrimmage," and advised the captain to go and have the captain and crew
of the _Termagant_ "put in limbo right off."

Thus advised and encouraged, Captain Dunning went to a lawyer, who,
after hearing the case, stated it as his opinion that it was a good one,
and forthwith set about taking the needful preliminary steps to
commencing the action.

Thereafter Captain Dunning walked rapidly home, wiping his hot brow as
he went, and entering the parlour of the cottage--the yellow-faced
cottage--flung himself on the sofa with a reckless air, and said, "I've
done it!"

"Horror!" cried Aunt Martha.

"Misery!" gasped Aunt Jane, who happened to be fondling Ailie at the
time of her brother's entrance.

"Is he dead?"

"_Quite_ dead?" added Martha.

"Is _who_ dead?" inquired the captain, in surprise.

"The man--the rude sailor!"

"Dead! No."

"You said just now that you had done it."

"So I have. I've done the deed. I've gone to law."

Had the captain said that he had gone to "s