[Illustration: "SIR JOHN THRUST HIMSELF BETWEEN THE TWO"]

"My servant to-day, sir," thundered the Admiral, "in that I will force
you to leave this quarrel! Death of my life! shall this get abroad? Not
that common soldiers or mariners ashore fall out and cudgel each other
until the one cannot handle a rope nor the other a morris-pike! not
that wild gallants, reckless and broken adventurers whose loss the next
daredevil scamp may supply, choose the eve of sailing for a duello, in
which one or both may be slain; but that strive together my captains,
men vowed to noble service, loyal aid, whose names are in all mouths,
who go forth upon this adventure not (I trust in God) with an eye single
to the gain of the purse, but thinking, rather, to pluck green laurels
for themselves, and to bring to the Queen and England gifts of waning
danger, waxing power! What reproach--what evil augury--nay, perhaps,
what maiming of our enterprise! Leaders and commanders that you are,
with your goodly ships, your mariners and soldiers awaiting you, and
above us all the lode-star of noblest duty, truest honor--will you thus
prefer to the common good your private quarrel? Nay, now, I might say
'you shall not'; but, instead, I choose to think you will not!"

The speech was of the longest for the Admiral, who was a man of golden
silences. His look had been upon Baldry, but his words were for Mortimer
Ferne, at whom he looked not at all. "I have been challenged, sir,"
cried Baldry, roughly. "Draw back? God's wounds, not I!"

His antagonist bit his lip until the blood sprang. "The insult was
gross," he said, with haughtiness, "but since I may not deny the truth
of your words, John Nevil, I will reword my cartel. Captain Robert
Baldry, I do solemnly challenge you to meet me with sword and dagger