"You will not!" cried the Captain.
"No Sir; for your friends had given me, as I conceived, just cause of displeasure; and I was, and am, careless of offending those who have done so."
"You consider yourself aggrieved, then, in the first place?" said Beebee.
"I have said so, Sir."
"Then," said the Captain, after a puzzled look out to sea, "supposing that my friends disclaim all intention to offend you, in that case "
"In that case I should be glad, Captain Beebee, that they had changed their line of tactics there is nothing to change in my own."
"Then what are we to understand by this strange refusal of a meeting, Mr. Carleton? what does it mean?"
"It means one thing in my own mind, Sir, and probably another in yours; but the outward expression I choose to give it is, that I will not reward uncalled-for rudeness with an opportunity of self-vindication."
"You are," said Thorn, sneeringly, "probably careless as to the figure your own name will cut in connection with this story?"
"Entirely so," said Mr. Carleton, eyeing him steadily.