ted. Though I had much ado to curb my anger, I
said quietly:

"If that is true, Cludde, you know who is the cause of it."

"I did not speak to you, sirrah," says he.

"But I speak to you," I said. "You may say what you please about
me; I will settle my account with you in good time; but I advise
you not to say too much about Mr. Benbow, who is not here to answer
for himself."

"Oho, you sneak out of it that way, do you?" says he. "I'll say
what I please about Mr. Benbow without asking leave of you or any
man. Benbow is a low-born scut--can you deny it? Wasn't his father
a tanner, and don't his sister keep a coffee shop?"

"And what then?"

"What then? Why, this: that he ain't fit to be in the company of
gentlemen," and then he told a foul story of Benbow which angered
me past all endurance.

I strode up to him, and before I could be prevented I planted my
fist in his face with such force that he toppled backwards over his
chair and came to the floor.

"Now you can swallow that lie," I cried, standing with clenched
fists over him.

I was now in the midst of a great hubbub; the officers had started
from their chairs, shouting and cursing, some of them helping
Cludde to his feet.

"You will answer for this, sir," says Captain Kirkby.

"With all my heart," I said. "Mr. Venables will meet Mr. Cludde's
man and make the arrangements."

And with that I went from the house.

I ever regarded dueling as a barbarous and foolish way of settling
a quarrel. If men must fight, let them use their fists, and so be
quit of it for a bloody nose and a few bruises. But I could not
avoid the duel with Cludde without suffering the imputation of
cowardice, and when Venables came after me and said that he had
arranged with Simpson that we should meet next morning at daybreak
on the Southsea Common and settle the matter with rapiers, I was
quite content. 'Tis true that ere the day was over I regretted in
cool blood that things had come to this pass; but I could not think
I was in the wrong, and believing myself more than a match for
Cludde in swordsmanship I resolved to disarm him quickly, when his
friends would no doubt declare him satisfied.

In the chill of dawn we met within sound of the surf, and having
stripped to our shirts, faced each other with the length of our two
swords between. Cludde was three or four inches shorter than I, but
well made and muscular, and in mere strength I daresay there was
little to choose bet