blow her whistle fer me. Thar were one time, though, lads, when I had that eye shet, and that was when I fit a dooel."
"Gee! have you fought a duel?" exclaimed Jimmy, popping his black eyes in wonder and admiration, while the other two boys leaned forward in rapt attention. "I thought everybody who did that was dead long ago."
"When I say fit a dooel," pursued Cap'n Buffum, blowing, out a cloud of smoke, "I ain't walkin' the chalk line o' truth. I was all primed to fight one day when I was circumwented, lads. I was circumwented. This was the way of it: There was a sailor on The Flying Jenny (she flied on the ocean, lads) 'bout ten years younger than me and the viles', out-cussinest, out-lyines' bluejacket that ever clum a riggin'. One day he said sumpin' about a gal I wouldn't stand for fer nuthin', and I give it back to him hot and heavy, hot and heavy, I did. 'Well, all right,' says he with a string o' oaths that ought to 'a burned a hole plumb through his throat, 'that means a round next time we has shore leave.' 'That's me,' says I, 'fists or pistols?' 'Pistols is a gentleman's weapon,' says he.
