metimes backs out of it, like your rubbishy
Birmingham pieces, that will at one time go off at half-cock, and at
another time burn priming without going off at all;--then again pieces
that hang fire--or I should rather say, that are like the matchlocks
which the black fellows use in the East Indies--there must be some
blowing of the match, and so forth, which occasions delay, but the piece
carries true enough after all."

"And your friend Sir Bingo's valour is of this last kind, Captain--I
presume that is the inference. I should have thought it more like a
boy's cannon, which is fired by means of a train, and is but a pop-gun
after all."

"I cannot allow of such comparisons, sir," said the Captain; "you will
understand that I come here as Sir Bingo's friend, and a reflection on
him will be an affront to me."

"I disclaim all intended offence to you, Captain--I have no wish to
extend the number of my adversaries, or to add to them the name of a
gallant officer like yourself," replied Tyrrel.

"You are too obliging, sir," said the Captain, drawing himself up with
dignity. "By Cot! and that was said very handsomely!--Well, sir, and
shall I not have the pleasure of carrying back any explanation from you
to Sir Bingo?--I assure you it would give me pleasure to make this
matter handsomely up."

"To Sir Bingo, Captain MacTurk, I have no apology to offer--I think I
treated him more gently than his impertinence deserved."

"Och, Och!" sighed the Captain, with a strong Highland intonation; "then
there is no more to be said, but just to settle time and place; for
pistols I suppose must be the weapons."

"All these matters are quite the same to me," said Tyrrel; "only, in
respect of time, I should wish it to be as speedy as possible.--What say
you to one, afternoon, this very day?--You may name the place."

"At one, afternoon," replied the Captain deliberately, "Sir Bingo will
attend you--the place may be the Buck-stane; for as the whole company go
to the water-side to-day to eat a kettle of fish,[I-18] there will be no
risk of interruption.--And who shall I speak to, my good friend, on your
side of the quarrel?"

"Really, Captain," replied Tyrrel, "that is a puzzling question--I have
no friend here--I suppose you could hardly act for both?"

"It would be totally, absolutely, and altogether out of the question, my
good friend," replied MacTurk. "But if you will trust to me, I will
bring up a friend on your part from the