'You will fire, gentlemen, simultaneously, when I give the word,' said
the Captain. Then, in an undertone, to the Doctor, 'Quick, the pistols.'
The Doctor, stooping over and fumbling at the valise, appeared to find
something that surprised him.
'Why, what the devil--'
'What's the matter?' asked the Captain, striding up. 'Can't you find the
caps?'
'Deuce a pistol or cap, but this!'
He held up--a lady's night-cap!
'Look here--and here--and here!'--holding up successively a hair-brush,
a long, white night-gown, a cologne-bottle, and a comb.
They were greeted with a long whistle by the Captain, and a blank stare
by the two principals.
'Confound the luck!' ejaculated the Captain; 'if we haven't made a
mistake, and brought the wrong valise!'
The principals looked at the seconds. The seconds looked at the
principals. Nobody volunteered a suggestion. At last the Doctor
inquired,
'Well, what's to be done?'
'D----d unlucky!' again ejaculated the Captain. 'The duel can't go on.'
'Evidently not,' responded the Doctor, 'unless they brain each other
with the hair-brush, or take a pop at each other with the
cologne-bottle.'
'You are quite sure there are no pistols in the valise?' said one of the
principals, with suppressed eagerness, and drawing a long breath of
evident relief.
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