s lips twitching strangely, "why--Dick!" and
with the word he turned suddenly and left me.

The duel had been settled for twelve o'clock, and it was exactly half
after eleven by my chronometer when a servant came to warn us that the
coach was at the door. So we presently descended and got in with never
a word betwixt us. When men know each other so thoroughly, there is no
need for the mask of gaiety to be held up as is usual at such times;
thus we rode very silent and thoughtful for the most part, until we
heard Purdy, the surgeon, hailing us from where he stood waiting at the
cross roads as had been arranged.

"Well, sirs," says he, nodding and frowning at us in his sharp way as he
took his seat, "and how is the foot?"

"Right as a trivet!" says Jack.

"I question that," says Purdy, dogmatically; "that tendon cannot be well
for a full month yet--curse me if it can! They tell me," he went on,
"that the other side has young Prothero--gentlemen, mark my
words!--Prothero's a stark, staring fool--a positive ass!--A man breaks
his leg--'Give him a clyster!' says Prothero. A child has
teething-rash!--'A clyster! a clyster!' cries Prothero. A boy has the
collywobbles or mumps--'A clyster!' says Prothero. Mark me, gentlemen,
should Sir John here pink his man, depend upon it Prothero will finish
him with a clyster!"

This journey, which I had made a thousand times and more, never seemed
so short as it did upon this Christmas morning, yet I for one
experienced a feeling akin to relief as we were ushered into the sanded
parlour of "The Chequers."

We found Raikes arrived before us, seated at a table with Hammersley,
Finch, and four or five others whose faces were familiar, and a
heathenish uproar they were making. Upon our entrance they fell silent,
however, and exchanged bows with us ere we sat down.

If the episode of the shirt was not forgot, 'twas at least accounted by
most the wiser policy to let it so appear, though all Tonbridge--nay,
all the country round--rung with the story behind Sir Harry's back, and
indeed (as I well know) 'tis laughed over by many to this day.

And now being here, and noting the cleared floor and the other
preparations for what was to follow, and looking at Jack beside me so
full of strength and life, and bethinking me of what he might be so very
soon, a deadly nausea came upon me, such as I had never felt before on
such occasions, so that I was forced to sit down.

"Nay, Dick," says Jack,