by any circumlocution in my remarks, you are,
sir, I am led to understand, Lieutenant Morton, of his Majesty's frigate
`Thisbe'?"

"I am, sir," said Morton; "your information on that point is correct."

"I knew I was right, sir," said the young officer, with a bullying air,
mistaking a look of astonishment, which Morton could not suppress, for
an exhibition of fear. "Mr Maguire conceives that early this evening
you purposely tripped him up, and when you had brought him to the
ground, you carried off his partner and laughed at him. Any one of
these acts, sir, was an insult, to be washed out only with blood, as any
man with a spark of honour in his composition will allow."

Morton, though very much inclined to laugh at this absurd assertion,
felt at the same time it was annoying. The only reply he could give
was, that the young man was tipsy, and fell in consequence, and that he
had nothing whatever to do with the matter. This answer would not be
satisfactory to the gentleman who had brought the challenge. Still, it
seemed too preposterous that he should allow himself to be drawn into a
quarrel, against his will, by hair-brained young men who had lost the
few wits they possessed by drinking. His own high sense of honour had
never before been called in question--his gallantry had always been
conspicuous.

"I cannot reply to you at once," he answered quietly, turning to
Lieutenant Maguire's second. "Leave me your card and address, and I
promise you you shall hear from me. Perhaps, in the meantime, your
friend and his advisers may think better of the matter, and, at all
events, you can convey him my assurance that I had no intention of
insulting him, or of hurting his feelings in any way."

"Well, sir, I must be content with your reply, though I cannot say that
I conceive it to be a very satisfactory one. My name is Bolton, a
brother officer of Maguire's. Here is my card and address. I shall
expect your friend." Saying this, the young man, with a pompous air,
turned on his heel and walked out of the room.

"This is indeed provoking, to have a quarrel thus pertinaciously fixed
on me," said Morton, taking Glover's arm. "I must see the captain, and
put the matter into his hands."

Morton told Captain Calder what had occurred.

He looked considerably vexed, though he laughed as he answered, "I will
act as your friend, as it is called, with all my heart, and go and see
these young donkeys. If they insist on