Mr. Johnson looked at them both, and shrugged his shoulders.
"I believe he would lick you in a fair fight," he said with a slight sniff, and Noyes exploded.
"I could pound him to almighty smash in two minutes," he roared.
And the crowd began to see fun "sticking out a foot." They edged up closer and lost their shamefaced look.
"He could knock hell out of you," said one of them from behind, and the consul said:
"Hush, hush!"
Then he turned to Hans.
"Could he lick you, my man?"
"Not mooch," said Hans defiantly, and a subdued cheer rose from the men behind.
"Do you hear that, Mr. Noyes?" asked the consul. "Oh yes, you hear it. Well, it's all highly irregular, of course, but you understand you did wrong to hit him with a telescope, or with anything for the matter of that, and as the ship seems to have been anything but a comfortable one, I suggest that you apologise to this man at any rate, and pay him off."