moon manufactured calf."

"I hear, admiral, but it is scarcely civil, to say the least of it;
however, as you are somewhat eccentric, and do not, I dare say, mean all
your words imply, I am quite willing to make every allowance."

"I don't want any allowance; d--n you and your allowance, too; nothing
but allowance of grog, and a pretty good allowance, too, will do for me,
and tell you, Sir Francis Varney," said the admiral, with much wrath,
"that you are a d----d lubberly hound, and I'll fight you; yes, I'm
ready to hammer away, or with anything from a pop-gun to a ship's gun;
you don't come over me with your gammon, I tell you. You've murdered
Charles Holland because you couldn't face him--that's the truth of it."

"With the other part of your speech, Admiral Bell, allow me to say, you
have mixed up a serious accusation--one I cannot permit to pass
lightly."

"Will you or not fight?"

"Oh, yes; I shall be happy to serve you any way that I can. I hope this
will be an answer to your accusation, also."

"That's settled, then."

"Why, I am not captious, Admiral Bell, but it is not generally usual for
the principals to settle the preliminaries themselves; doubtless you, in
your career of fame and glory, know something of the manner in which
gentlemen demean themselves on these occasions."

"Oh, d--n you! Yes, I'll send some one to do all this. Yes, yes, Jack
Pringle will be the man, though Jack ain't a holiday, shore-going,
smooth-spoken swab, but as good a seaman as ever trod deck or handled a
boarding-pike."

"Any friend of yours," said Varney, blandly, "will be received and
treated as such upon an errand of such consequence; and now our
conference has, I presume, concluded."

"Yes, yes, I've done--d----e, no--yes--no. I will keel-haul you but I'll
know something of my neavy, Charles Holland."

"Good day, Admiral Bell." As Varney spoke, he placed his hand upon the
bell which he had near him, to summon an attendant to conduct the
admiral out. The latter, who had said a vast deal more than he ever
intended, left the room in a great rage, protesting to himself that he
would amply avenge his nephew, Charles Holland.

He proceeded homeward, considerably vexed and annoyed that he had been
treated with so much calmness, and all knowledge of his nephew denied.

When he got back, he quarrelled heartily with Jack Pringle--made it
up--drank grog--quarrelled--made it up, and finished with grog
again--until he went to