s, you know, who pride
themselves on that sort of thing."

"So I believe," answered Jack, "though, thank God, it has never been my
misfortune to be brought into contact with any of them until now. No; I
am afraid that the story is only too true. The scoundrel, being
Governor of the prison, would have the power to--to--do what he says he
did, and the mere fact that he boasted of it seems pretty strong
evidence that he also had the will. I am therefore afraid that--that--
oh, hang it! this won't do; I must pull myself together or I shall be
fit for nothing."

"That is very true," acquiesced Don Ramon; "when a man is going out to
fight another he must not allow his nerves to be upset by giving way to
violent emotion. Now, have you decided upon what weapons you will fight
with? Being the challenged party, you know, you have the choice of
weapons."

"Have I?" said Jack wearily. "Why, yes, of course, I suppose I have.
But I have not given a ghost of a thought to the question of weapons.
One thing is certain: I don't wish to kill Alvaros, for, of course,
Carlos will want to have a turn with him as soon as he can get the
chance, and he would, quite rightly, be furious with me if I were to
balk him. But neither do I wish him to kill me, for that would entirely
upset all my plans. What I should like to do would be to give him a
tremendous punishing without endangering his life. I suppose it would
not be good form to choose fists as the weapons, would it?"

Don Ramon laughed. "I scarcely know whether or not it would be `good
form' to insist on fighting with your bare fists," he said, "but I know
that it would be most unusual. Still, I am not sure that its
singularity would constitute an insuperable bar to its acceptance by the
seconds. At any rate there will be no harm in offering the suggestion
to de Albareda; he is a thorough good fellow all through, and you may
safely leave yourself in his hands. But, if you will pardon me for
saying so, my young friend, it appears to me that you are acting
somewhat quixotically in sparing this blackguard in order that your
friend Carlos may be able to take a hand in his punishment. If the
quarrel were mine, I should choose pistols, and shoot the fellow dead,
thus making sure of him. Besides, do you suppose that poor Carlos will
ever have a chance to get away from Fernando Po, when once they have got
him there?"

"He never will get there; neither he nor any of the rest of t