The admiral looked at the lawyer with amazement, for a few moments, in silence, and then he said,
"D—n it! why, you don't mean to tell me, that that rascal is here."
"Oh, yes; he came about ten minutes I before you arrived, and said you were coming, and he has been down stairs feasting all the while since."
"Stop a bit. Do you happen to have any loaded fire arms in the house?"
"We have got an old bunderbuss; but what for, admiral?"
"To shoot that scoundrel, Pringle. I'll blow his brains out, as sure as fate. The impudence of his coming here, directly against my orders, too."
"My dear sir, calm yourself, and think nothing of it; it's of no consequence whatever."
"No consequence; where is that blunderbuss of yours? Do you mean to tell me that mutiny is of no consequence? Give me the blunderbuss."
"But, my clear sir, we only keep it in terrorem, and have no bullets."
"Never mind that, we can cram in a handful of nails, or brass buttons, or hammer up a few halfpence—anything of that sort will do to settle his business with."