"You have no such scruples, old boy," said the Captain.
"Not I," said Scroop, "I am your man."
"And will you be my second, Wilson?" said Sir Richard, his voice tremulous with passion still.
"With pleasure, we are quite au fait at these things on board ship."
"Come, Scroop, let's get to business; after all, Musgrave, he had no business to give you the lie, and you retaliated the broadside well."
"And he found his match by G—," said Scroop, as he and Wilson walked aside, and in the most cold-blooded manner arranged everything with the utmost despatch—Time, place, weapons, and distance. "Time, at once; place, the Holly Walk; weapons, pistols; distance, twelve yards."
When these regulations were announced the Captain ordered Andrew, who then entered the room having got an inkling all wasn't right, to go to his room, and bring a mahogany case down.
"Is't to be a duel?" said the old man, handing him the case, which the Captain unlocked, and produced two duelling pistols with black ebony handles, and inlaid with silver; on each was a silver plate, and on one neatly engraved three names with dates after them,—three victims to the Captain's sure aim!
"You'll gie's permission to hae ane keek at yer shootin', Captain."
"No—go to the devil."