shaking his head, "I have no mind to wait; get
it over for me as soon as may be."

"No, no," says Bentley, sharply, "at least let us have a bottle of wine
first," and on this point he was so insistent that Jack was ultimately
forced to give in to him, though even then Bentley seemed ill-content,
for he fell to fidgetting awkwardly in his chair, and compared his
chronometer with the clock full a dozen times in as many minutes.

The crowd at the other table grew uproarious again, and more than once I
heard the Captain's high-pitched laugh.

"Bentley," says I, "'tis past twelve o'clock."

"Yes," says he, and began straightway upon "Lillibuleero."

Jack started and looked up.

"Come, Dick, let us begin at once."

"The wine's not all out yet," says Bentley, with his eyes upon the clock
again; and now I noticed for the first time that his cheeks were devoid
of all colour and his face seemed strangely peaked and haggard.

At this moment, Jack rising, I had perforce to do the same, seeing which
the party at the other table ceased their uproar of a sudden and a deep
silence fell as Captain Hammersley advanced to meet me, and having
bowed, spun a coin in the air to decide choice of ground.

"Jack," says I, as I rejoined him, "you will fight with your back to
the door, though there is little difference save that the wall is a
trifle lighter there, and will make you less conspicuous."

Jack nodded, and with Bentley's aid, began removing his coat and
waistcoat.

"Dick," says Bentley, in my ear, speaking in a strange, uneven voice,
such as I had never heard from his lips before, while Jack busied
himself untying his cravat--"Dick, they must not--shall not fight," and
I saw that the sweat stood out in great drops upon his brow.

"In God's name, Bentley, what's to stop them now?" says I, whereupon he
turned away with a strange wringing motion of his hands, and seeing how
those hands trembled, I became aware that mine were doing the same.

"Be so good as to take your ground, gentlemen," said Captain Hammersley,
advancing with the small-swords beneath his arm. Jack stepped forward at
once, followed a moment later by Raikes. Each in turn took his weapon,
saluted, and fell to his guard.

I was just holding the crossed blades and Hammersley had scarce begun
the count, when there arose a sudden clamour without, the door was flung
open, and Mr. Tawnish stood bowing upon the threshold.

"Ah!" says he, tripping forward daintil