y minutes
past the hour--I think it is odds that you are bilked, Sir Bingo?"

"Bilked! hey!" cried Sir Bingo; "by Gad, I always thought so--I wagered
with Mowbray he was a raff--I am had, by Gad. I'll wait no longer than
the half hour, by Gad, were he a field-marshal."

"You will be directed in that matter by your friend, if you please, Sir
Bingo," said the Captain.

"D---- me if I will," returned the Baronet--"Friend? a pretty friend, to
bring me out here on such a fool's errand! I knew the fellow was a
raff--but I never thought you, with all your chaff about honour, such a
d----d spoon as to bring a message from a fellow who has fled the pit!"

"If you regret so much having come here to no purpose," said the
Captain, in a very lofty tone, "and if you think I have used you like a
spoon, as you say, I will have no objection in life to take Mr. Tyrrel's
place, and serve your occasion, my boy!"

"By ----! and if you like it, you may fire away, and welcome," said Sir
Bingo; "and I'll spin a crown for first shot, for I do not understand
being brought here for nothing, d---- me!"

"And there was never man alive so ready as I am to give you something to
stay your stomach," said the irritable Highlander.

[Illustration]

"Oh fie, gentlemen! fie, fie, fie!" exclaimed the pacific Mr.
Winterblossom--"For shame, Captain--Out upon you, Sir Bingo, are you
mad?--what, principal and second!--the like was never heard of--never."

The parties were in some degree recalled to their more cool
recollections by this expostulation, yet continued a short quarter-deck
walk to and fro, upon parallel lines, looking at each other sullenly as
they passed, and bristling like two dogs who have a mind to quarrel, yet
hesitate to commence hostilities. During this promenade, also, the
perpendicular and erect carriage of the veteran, rising on his toes at
every step, formed a whimsical contrast with the heavy loutish shuffle
of the bulky Baronet, who had, by dint of practice, very nearly attained
that most enviable of all carriages, the gait of a shambling Yorkshire
ostler. His coarse spirit was now thoroughly kindled, and like iron, or
any other baser metal, which is slow in receiving heat, it retained long
the smouldering and angry spirit of resentment that had originally
brought him to the place, and now rendered him willing to wreak his
uncomfortable feelings upon the nearest object which occurred, since the
first purpose of his coming thit