"Don't ever talk to me like that again," exclaimed Jack. "I am no assassin."
By half-past eight, Jack and Harvey were comfortably seated in a carriage of the mail train on their way to France.
"If I fall," said Jack, "I want you to see Miss Van Hoosen and tell her that my last thoughts were of her."
"I'll do it," replied Harvey. "But I do not think anything will happen to you."
They arrived in due course and Jack retired to rest, while Harvey sought Captain Cannon to arrange the preliminaries.
He found the captain drinking wine with Lord Maltravers and talking loudly about the exploits of his youth.
"Ah! Harvey," he exclaimed, "here you are. Sit down and join us in the foaming goblet. That's a good phrase I flatter myself. A duel stirs my blood and carries me back a long way. I recollect when I was quartered in Dublin, a fiery young Hussar took exception to something I said and threw a glass of wine in my face—he did, by Jove, sir. That was a case of pistols for two and a coffin for one. I met him in Phœnix Park the next day and at the first fire, I shot him through the heart, and went to the expense of having his body embalmed to send home to his mother."
"Very considerate of you, I am sure," remarked Harvey.
"Oh! it's just like me. I'm all heart. By the way, what weapons does your principal select?"
"Swords."