So we expected a challenge from Mr.Laird, because according to the rules--according to the etiquette of duelling as reconstructed and reorganized and improved by the duellists of that region--whenever you said a thing about another person that he didn't like, it wasn't sufficient for him to talk back in the same offensive spirit: etiquette required him to send a challenge; so we waited for a challenge--waited all day.

It didn't come.

And as the day wore along, hour after hour, and no challenge came, the boys grew depressed.

They lost heart.

But I was cheerful; I felt better and better all the time.