At this moment a thundering knock at the door announced a visitor, and
put an end to their conversation.

In a few minutes a letter was delivered to Dashall, which required an
immediate answer: he broke the seal, and read as follows:--

"Dear Tom, "Come to me immediately--no time to be lost--insulted and
abused--determined to fight Bluster--You must be my second--I'll blow
his blustering brains out at one pop, never fear. At home at 7, dine at
half-past; don't fail to come: I will explain all over a cool bottle of
claret--then I shall be calm, at present I am all fire and fury--don't
fail to come--half-past seven to a moment on table. You and I alone--toe
to toe, my boy--I'll finish him, and remain, as ever,

"Yours, sincerely,

"Lionel Laconic."

~~402~~~ "Here's a breeze," said Tom; "desire the messenger to say I
shall attend at the appointed hour. Death and the devil, this defeats
all previous arrangement; but Laconic is an old college friend, whom I
dare not desert in a moment of emergency. I fear I shall not be able,
under such circumstances, to leave town so early as was proposed."

"Sorry for it," replied Sparkle, "and more sorry to be deprived of your
company now our time is so short; however, I depart according to the
time appointed."

"And I," said Tallyho, "having no honorable business to detain me in
town, intend to accompany you."

"If that be the case," said Tom, "I may perhaps be almost obliged to
delay a few days, in order to adjust this difference between Bluster and
Laconic, and will follow at the earliest moment. It is, however, a duty
we owe each other to render what assistance we can in such cases." "I
thought," continued Tallyho, "you were no friend to duelling."

"By no means," was the reply; "and that is the very reason why I think
it necessary to delay my departure. I know them both, and may be able
to bring matters to an amicable conclusion; for to tell you the truth, I
don't think either of them particularly partial to the smell of powder;
but of that I shall be able to inform you hereafter; for the present
excuse me--I must prepare for the visit, while you prepare yourselves
for your departure."

Sparkle and Tallyho wished Tom a pleasant evening, took their dinner
at the Bedford Coffee-house, and spent the evening at Covent-Garden
Theatre, much to their satisfaction, though not without many
anticipations as to the result of their friend's interference between
the two hot-heade