y in the country," replied
Mr Easthupp, now backed by the boatswain; "many the year did I valk
Bond Street, and I ave as good blood in my weins as you, Mr Heasy,
halthough I have been misfortunate--I've had hadmirals in my family."

"You have grossly insulted this gentleman," said Mr Biggs, in
continuation; "and notwithstanding all your talk of equality, you are
afraid to give him satisfaction--you shelter yourself under your
quarter-deck."

"Mr Biggs," replied our hero, who was now very wroth, "I shall go on
shore directly we arrive at Malta. Let you, and this fellow, put on
plain clothes, and I will meet you both--and then I'll show you whether
I am afraid to give satisfaction."

"One at a time," said the boatswain.

"No, sir, not one at a time, but both at the same time--I will fight
both or none. If you are my superior officer, you must _descend_,"
replied Jack, with an ironical sneer, "to meet me, or I will not descend
to meet that fellow, whom I believe to have been little better than a
pickpocket."

This accidental hit of Jack's made the purser's steward turn pale as a
sheet, and then equally red. He raved and foamed amazingly, although he
could not meet Jack's indignant look, who then turned round again.

"Now, Mr Biggs, is this to be understood, or do you shelter yourself
under your _forecastle_?"

"I'm no dodger," replied the boatswain, "and we will settle the affair
at Malta."

At which reply Jack returned to Mesty.

"Massa Easy, I look at um face, dat feller, Eastop, he no like it. I go
shore wid you, see fair play, anyhow--suppose I can?"

Mr Biggs having declared that he would fight, of course had to look out
for a second, and he fixed upon Mr Tallboys, the gunner, and requested
him to be his friend. Mr Tallboys, who had been latterly very much
annoyed by Jack's victories over him in the science of navigation, and
therefore felt ill-will towards him, consented; but he was very much
puzzled how to arrange that _three_ were to fight at the same time, for
he had no idea of there being two duels; so he went to his cabin and
commenced reading. Jack, on the other hand, dared not say a word to
Jolliffe on the subject: indeed, there was no one in the ship to whom he
could confide but Gascoigne: he therefore went to him, and although
Gascoigne thought it was excessively _infra dig_ of Jack to meet even
the boatswain, as the challenge had been given there was no retracting:
he therefore consented,