ality for which your character in England stands
so high. But you must be aware that it has been our intention to
interfere with that which you must regard as the performance of a
duty."

"It is a duty," said I. "But your power is so superior to any that
I can advance, as to make us here feel that there is no disgrace in
yielding to it. Therefore we can be courteous while we submit. Not a
doubt but had your force been only double or treble our own, I should
have found it my duty to struggle with you. But how can a little
State, but a few years old, situated on a small island, far removed
from all the centres of civilisation, contend on any point with the
owner of the great 250-ton swiveller-gun?"

"That is all quite true, Mr Neverbend," said Sir Ferdinando Brown.

"I can afford to smile, because I am absolutely powerless before you;
but I do not the less feel that, in a matter in which the progress of
the world is concerned, I, or rather we, have been put down by brute
force. You have come to us threatening us with absolute destruction.
Whether your gun be loaded or not matters little."

"It is certainly loaded," said Captain Battleax.

"Then you have wasted your powder and shot. Like a highwayman, it
would have sufficed for you merely to tell the weak and cowardly that
your pistol would be made to go off when wanted. To speak the truth,
Captain Battleax, I do not think that you excel us more in courage
than you do in thought and practical wisdom. Therefore, I feel myself
quite able, as President of this republic, to receive you with a
courtesy due to the servants of a friendly ally."

"Very well put," said Sir Ferdinando. I simply bowed to him. "And
now," he continued, "will you answer me one question?"

"A dozen if it suits you to ask them."

"Captain Battleax cannot remain here long with that expensive toy
which he keeps locked up somewhere among his cocked-hats and white
gloves. I can assure you he has not even allowed me to see the
trigger since I have been on board. But 250-ton swivellers do cost
money, and the John Bright must steam away, and play its part in
other quarters of the globe. What do you intend to do when he shall
have taken his pocket-pistol away?"

I thought for a little what answer it would best become me to give
to this question, but I paused only for a moment or two. "I shall
proceed at once to carry out the Fixed Period." I felt that my honour
demanded that to such a question I should