e cool over a bottle of claret--toe to toe, my
boy," continued Sparkle.

This conversation was interrupted by a letter, which being delivered
to Tom, he read aloud, interrupted only by laughter, which he could not
restrain.

"Dear Tom, "Don't like fighting in England--am off directly for
Cork.--Tell Bluster I'll wait there till he comes--but if he values
his life, not to come at all.---Please do the needful in despatching my
servants, &c. within two days, for I am in such a passion I can't wait a
moment.--So adieu.

"Yours, sincerely, Laconic."

"Excellent, upon my word," said Sparkle; "here are two men of honour
determined upon meeting, running away from each other even before the
preliminaries are arranged."

"There is novelty in it at least," said Tom, "though I am by no means
astonished at the end of it; for I before observed, I do not think
either of them over fond of powder. Laconic pretended that nothing would
satisfy him but fighting immediately, provided Bluster was to be found:
any person to whom bis character was not known would have expected
some spilling of blood before this time. But it is now plain that this
blustering was the effect of the wine, and the man's cooler judgment has
extinguished the flame of his irritability."

"I think," said Tallyho, "it would be well to advise them to meet
half-seas over, and draw a cork together by way of settling their
differences."

"Curse their differences," replied Dashall, "I'll have nothing more to
do with them: upon the whole, I am glad now that I could not meet with
Bluster, or I should have looked like a fool between the two; and as it
is, I am not much pleased with the adventure, particularly as it must
necessarily delay me, and I hate the idea of travelling alone. I should
very much have liked to start with you; but as Laconic has made me fully
acquainted with his affairs, in case he should fall in the intended
duel, I must even comply with the contents of his note; though, if he
had not actually departed, you may rest assured I would have nothing to
do with him or his concerns."

~~417~~~ "Come, come," cried Sparkle, "grumbling is of no use now; and
as the circumstances are not made public, the duellists will escape
being laughed at. There is no harm done--we must be upon the alert--we
shortly bid adieu to London, and shall not be so well pleased to
leave you behind; but remember you promise to follow as quickly as
possible.--Now, how shall we disp