"Not fight!" said Admiral Bell, with a sort of melancholy disappointment. "D—n the cowardly rascal! Tell me, Jack Pringle, what did the long horse-marine-looking slab say to it? He told me he would fight. Why he ought to be made to stand sentry over the wind."
"You challenged him in person, too, I suppose?" said Henry.
"Yes, confound him! I went there last night."
"And I too."
"It seems to me," said Marchdale, "that this affair has been not indiscretely conducted; but somewhat unusually and strangely, to say the least of it."
"You see," said Chillingworth, "Sir Francis was willing to fight both Henry and the admiral, as he told us."
"Yes," said Jack; "he told us he would fight us both, if so be as his light was not doused in the first brush."
"That was all that was wanted," said the admiral.
"We could expect no more."
"But then he desired to meet you without any second; but, of course, I would not accede to this proposal. The responsibility was too great and too unequally borne by the parties engaged in the rencontre."