“Two desperate fellows in their way, I can assure you,” replied Middlemore, more amused than annoyed at the adventure.  “Ensign Paul, Emilius, Theophilus, Arnoldi, is, I calculate, a pretty considerable strong active sort of fellow; and, to judge by Henry Grantham’s half strangled look, his companion lacks not the same qualities.  Why, in the name of all that is precious would you persist in poking your nose into the rascal’s skins, Grantham?  The ruffians had nearly made dried skins of ours.”

“Ha! is that the scoundrel who calls himself Arnoldi,” asked Captain Molineux?  “I have heard,” and he glanced at Henry Grantham as he spoke, “a long story of his villainy from his captor within this very hour.”

“Which is your apology, I suppose,” said Middlemore, “for having so far exceeded your apPOINTment, gentlemen.”

“It certainly is,” said Lieutenant Villiers, “but the fault was not ours.  We chanced to fall in with Gerald Grantham, and on our way here, and that he detained us, should be a matter of congratulation to us all.”

“Congratulation!” exclaimed Middlemore, dropping his bandage, and lifting his eyes with an expression of indescribable humour, “Am I then to think it matter of congratulation that, as an innocent second, I should have had a cursed piece of lead stuck in my flesh to spoil my next winter’s dancing.  And Grantham is to think it matter of congratulation that, instead of putting a bullet through you, Molineux, (as I intend he shall when I hare finished dressing this confounded leg, if his nerves are not too much shaken,) he should have felt the gripe of that monster Desborough around his throat, until his eyes seem ready to start from their sockets, and all this because you did not choose to be in time.  Upon my word, I do not know that it is quite meet that we should meet you.  What say you, Grantham?”

“I hope,” said Captain Molineux with a smile, “your principal will think as you do, for should he decline the meeting, nothing will afford more satisfaction to myself.”

Both Grantham and Middlemore looked their utter surprise at the language thus used by Captain Molineux, but neither of them spoke.

“If an apology the most ample for my observation of yesterday,” continued that officer, “an apology founded on my perfect conviction of error, (that conviction produced by certain recent explanations with your brother,) can satisfy you, Mr. Grantham, most sincerely do I make it.  If, however, you hold me to my pledge, here am I of course to redeem it.  I may as well observe to you in the presence of our friends, (and Villiers can corroborate my statement,) that my original intention on leaving your brother, was to receive your fire and then tender my apology, but, under the circumstances in which both you and Middlemore are placed at this moment, the idea would be altogether absurd.  Again I tender my apology, which it will be a satisfaction to me to repeat this day at the mess table, where I yesterday refused to drink your brother’s health.  All I can add is that when you have heard the motives for my conduct, and learnt to what extent I have been deceived, you will readily admit that I acted not altogether from caprice.”