life, nor try to take it; and you know that very well. But I propose to
meet your insolence--the first shown me in this town."

Here murmurs of approbation went round.

"You will, of course, take the revolver from your pocket, and throw it on
the ground."

A couple of other revolvers were looking the bully in the face, and he
sullenly did as he was asked.

"You have a knife: throw that down."

This also was done under the most earnest emphasis of the revolvers.
Roscoe calmly took off his coat. "I have met such scoundrels as you on
the quarter-deck," he said, "and I know what stuff is in you. They call
you beachcombers in the South Seas. You never fight fair. You bully
women, knife natives, and never meet any one in fair fight. You have
mistaken your man this time."

He walked close up to the bully, his face like steel, his thumbs caught
lightly in his waistcoat pockets; but it was noticeable that his hands
were shut.

"Now," he said, "we are even as to opportunity. Repeat, if you please,
what you said a moment ago."

The bully's eye quailed, and he answered nothing. "Then, as I said, you
are a coward and a cur, who insults peaceable men and weak women. If I
know Viking right, it has no room for you." Then he picked up his coat,