t still, I've no quarrel with Mr. Biggs, and therefore, Mr. Biggs, of
course you will not aim at me."

"Why, you don't think that I'm going to be fired at for nothing?"
replied the boatswain. "No, no; I'll have my shot, anyhow!"

"But at your friend, Mr. Biggs?"

"All the same, I shall fire at somebody, shot for shot, and hit the
luckiest."

"Vel, gentlemen, I purtest against these proceedings," remarked Mr.
Easthupp. "I came here to have satisfaction from Mr. Easy, and not to be
fired at by Mr. Biggs."

"So you would have a shot without receiving one?" cried Gascoigne. "The
fact is that this fellow's a confounded coward."

At this affront, Mr. Easthupp rallied, and accepted the pistol offered
by the gunner.

"You 'ear those words, Mr. Biggs? Pretty language to use to a gentleman!
I purtest no longer, Mr. Tallboys. Death before dishonour--I'm a
gentleman!"

The gunner gave the word as if he were exercising the great guns on
board ship.

"Cock your locks! Take good aim at the object! Fire!"

Mr. Easthupp clapped his hand to his trousers, gave a loud yell, and
then dropped down, having presented his broadside as a target to the
boatswain. Jack's shot had also taken effect, having passed through both
the boatswain's cheeks, without further mischief than extracting two of
his best upper double teeth, and forcing through the hole of the farther
cheek the boatswain's own quid of tobacco. As for Mr. Easthupp's ball,
as he was very unsettled and shut his eyes before he fired, it had gone
heaven knows where.

The purser's steward lay on the ground and screamed; the boatswain threw
down his pistol in a rage. The former was then walked off to the
hospital, attended by the gunner, and also the boatswain, who thought he
might as well have a little medical advice before going on board.

"Well, Easy," said Gascoigne, collecting the pistols and tying them up
in his handkerchief, "I'll be shot, but we're in a pretty scrape;
there's no hushing this up. I'll be hanged if I care; it's the best
piece of fun I ever met with."

"I'm afraid that our leave will be stopped for the future," replied
Jack.

"Confound it, and they say that the ship is to be here six weeks at
least. I won't go on board. Look ye, Jack, we'll pretend to be so much
alarmed at the result of this duel, that we dare not show ourselves lest
we should be hung. I will write a note and tell all the particulars to
the master's mate, and refer to the gunner fo