"What's he done ?" "_Done ?_" repeated the excitable Mr.Todd.
"Done?
They come walking on to my wharf as if the place--FETCH HIM OUT," he bawled, breaking off suddenly.

"Fetch him out and I'll skin him alive." Captain Brisket took Mr.Stobell by the cuff and after a slight altercation drew him inside.
"Tell that red-whiskered man to come outside," bawled Mr.Todd.

"What's he afraid of ?" "What have you been doing to him ?" inquired Captain Brisket, turning to the pallid Mr.Chalk.
"Nothing," was the reply.
"Is he coming out ?" demanded the terrible voice, "or have I got to wait here all night?
Why don't he come outside, and I'll break every bone in his body." Mr.Stobell scratched his head in gloomy perplexity; then, as his gaze fell upon the smiling countenances of Mr.Todd's fellow-townsmen, his face cleared.
"He's an old man," he said, slowly, "but if any of you would like to step outside with me for five minutes, you've only got to say the word, you know." Nobody manifesting any signs of accepting this offer, he turned away and took a seat by the side of the indignant Tredgold.

Mr.Todd, after a final outburst, began to feel exhausted, and forsaking his prey with much reluctance allowed himself to be led away.

Snatches of a strong and copious benediction, only partly mellowed by distance, fell upon the ears of the listeners.
"Did you offer him the seventy ?" inquired Captain Brisket, turning to Mr.
Tredgold.
"I did," said Mr.Chalk, plaintively.
"Ah," said the captain, regarding him thoughtfully; "perhaps you ought to ha' made it eighty.