e trombone player sawing the air with his
instrument, as with a fret-saw, evoked noises not to be described.

In the midst of this general mirth--while Cai stood his ground, red to
the ears, and Mrs Bosenna plucked nervously at the tassel of her
sunshade--'Bias came thrusting forward, shouldering his way through the
press. But 'Bias's face reflected none of the mirth he had awakened.

"I mayn't know much about ploughin', Cai Hocken--" he began.

"Ah? Good day, Captain Hunken!" interposed Mrs Bosenna.

"Good-day to you, ma'am." He raised his hat without answering her
smile. Then, with a gesture that dismissed the tactful interruption,
"I mayn't know much about ploughin', though it sticks in my mind that as
between us the judges handed me the stakes, even at _that_. But at
handlin' a boat--one o' these here dingheys if you will, an' if you care
to make good your words--"

"What _was_ my words?"

"Oh, I beg pardon." 'Bias corrected himself with a snort of contempt.
"'Peter Benny's words,' maybe I should have said: but 'education in a
nutshell' was the expression."

"I'll take you up--when and where you please, and for any money,"
Cai challenged, white to the lips and shaking with rage.

"A five-pound note, if you will."

"As you please. . . . I haven't five pound here, upon me."

"Nor I, as it happens. But here's a sovereign for earnest."

"Here's another to cover it, anyway. Who'll hold the stakes? . . .
Will you, ma'am?" Cai appealed to Mrs Bosenna.

"Certainly not," she answered, tapping the deck angrily with the ferrule
of her sunshade. "And I wonder how you two can behave so foolish,
before folks."

But for the moment they were past her control.

"Here . . . Pam! Pam will do, eh?"

"Well as another."

"Right. Here Pam, take hold o' this sovereign and keep it careful!"

"Mine too. . . . That makes the wager, eh?"

"For five pounds?"

"Five pounds. Right.

"Boats?"

"I don't care. Our own two, or draw lots for any two here, as you
please."

"But--gentlemen!" interposed the Hon. Secretary.

"Now, don't you start interferin'"--Bias turned on him sullenly.
"Else you might chance to get what you don't like."

"Oh, they're mad!" wailed Mrs Bosenna, and Dinah was heard to murmur,
"You've pushed' em too far, mistress: an' don't say as I didn' warn
you!"

"I--I was only goin' to suggest, gentlemen," urged the Hon. Secretary,
"it bein' already ten minutes past noon, and everybody wai