Brown threw off his coat and challenged the man to fight -- abused him, threatened him, impeached his courage, and urged and even implored him to fight; and in the meantime the smiling stranger placed himself under our protection in mock distress.

But presently he assumed a serious tone, and said: "Very well, gentlemen, if we must fight, we must, I suppose.

But don't rush into danger and then say I gave you no warning.

I am more than a match for all of you when I get started.

I will give you proofs, and then if my friend here still insists, I will try to accommodate him." The table we were sitting at was about five feet long, and unusually cumbersome and heavy.