rouble of any kind, and the shrewd selfishness of his
disposition enabled him to foresee, that a good deal might accrue to all
concerned in the course of this business. He, therefore, coolly replied,
that he knew nothing of Mr. Tyrrel--not even whether he was a gentleman
or not; and besides, he had received no regular application in his
behalf--he did not, therefore, feel himself at all inclined to go to the
field as his second. This refusal drove the poor Captain to despair. He
conjured his friend to be more public-spirited, and entreated him to
consider the reputation of the Well, which was to them as a common
country, and the honour of the company to which they both belonged, and
of which Mr. Winterblossom was in a manner the proper representative, as
being, with consent of all, the perpetual president. He reminded him
how many quarrels had been nightly undertaken and departed from on the
ensuing morning, without any suitable consequences--said, "that people
began to talk of the place oddly; and that, for his own part, he found
his own honour so nearly touched, that he had begun to think he himself
would be obliged to bring somebody or other to account, for the general
credit of the Well; and now, just when the most beautiful occasion had
arisen to put every thing on a handsome footing, it was hard--it was
cruel--it was most unjustifiable--in Mr. Winterblossom, to decline so
simple a matter as was requested of him."

Dry and taciturn as the Captain was on all ordinary occasions, he
proved, on the present, eloquent and almost pathetic; for the tears came
into his eyes when he recounted the various quarrels which had become
addled, notwithstanding his best endeavours to hatch them into an
honourable meeting; and here was one, at length, just chipping the
shell, like to be smothered, for want of the most ordinary concession on
the part of Winterblossom. In short, that gentleman could not hold out
any longer. "It was," he said, "a very foolish business, he thought; but
to oblige Sir Bingo and Captain MacTurk, he had no objection to walk
with them about noon as far as the Buck-stane, although he must observe
the day was hazy, and he had felt a prophetic twinge or two, which
looked like a visit of his old acquaintance podagra."

"Never mind that, my excellent friend," said the Captain, "a sup out of
Sir Bingo's flask is like enough to put that to rights; and by my soul,
it is not the thing he is like to leave behind him on