“What’s the good of scrapping about in a public-house?” said Charlie, appealing to the company. “A fair fight without interruptions, now, I wouldn’t mind, if the gentleman’s so disposed.”
Evidently the man was horribly afraid. Mr. Hoopdriver grew truculent.
“Where you like,” said Mr. Hoopdriver, “jest wherever you like.”
“You insulted the gent,” said the man in velveteen.
“Don’t be a bloomin’ funk, Charlie,” said the man in gaiters. “Why, you got a stone of him, if you got an ounce.”
“What I say, is this,” said the gentleman with the excessive chins, trying to get a hearing by banging his chair arms. “If Charlie goes saying things, he ought to back ’em up. That’s what I say. I don’t mind his sayin’ such things ’t all, but he ought to be prepared to back ’em up.”
“I’ll back ’em up all right,” said Charlie, with extremely bitter emphasis on ‘back.’ “If the gentleman likes to come Toosday week—”
“Rot!” chopped in Hoopdriver. “Now.”
“’Ear, ’ear,” said the owner of the chins.
“Never put off till to-morrow, Charlie, what you can do to-day,” said the man in the velveteen coat.