"We don't want any prize-fightin' here, if you please," commanded Mrs Bosenna. "There again!" foamed 'Bias, with difficulty checking an oath. "A prize-fighter, am I? Who put that into your head, ma'am? Who's been scandalisin' me to you?" He turned, half-choking, and shook a minatory finger at Cai. "I--I didn' say I had any objection to fightin'-men, not when they're quiet," Mrs Bosenna made haste to observe in a pacificatory tone. In fact she was growing nervous, and felt that she had driven her revenge far enough. "My late husband was very fond of the--the ring--in his young days." It is easier, however, to arouse passions than to allay them. 'Bias continued to shake a finger at Cai, and Cai (be it said in justice) faced the accusation gamely. "I never scandalised you," he answered. "In fact I done all in my power to remove the impression." Feeling this to be infelicitous--in a sort of despair with his tongue, which had taken a twist and could say nothing aright this morning--he made haste to add in a tone at once easy and awkward, "It's my belief, 'Bias, as your parrot ain't fit to be left alone with females." "Well, I'm goin' to wring his neck anyway," promised 'Bias; "and, if some folks aren't careful, maybe I won't stop with _his_." Cai, though with rising temper, kept his nonchalance. "With you and me the creatur' don't feel the temptation, and consikently there's a side of his character hidden from us. But in female company it comes out. You may depend that's the explanation." "Why, of course it is," chimed in Mrs Bosenna with sudden--suspiciously sudden--conviction. "How clever of Captain Hocken to think of it!" "Yes, he's clever," growled 'Bias, unappeased. "Oh, he's monstrous clever, ma'am, is Caius Hocken! Such a friend, too! . . . And now, perhaps, he'll explain how it happened--he bein' so clever and such a friend--as he didn't find this out two nights ago and warn me?" "I did warn ye, 'Bias," Cai's face had gone white under the taunt. "But I'll admit to you I might have pitched it stronger. . . . If you remember, on top of discussin' the parrot we fell to discussin' something--something more important to both of us; and that drove the bird out o' my head. It never crossed my mind again till bedtime, and then I meant to warn ye next day at breakfast." "You're good at explanations, this mornin'," sneered 'Bias. "Better fit there was no need, and you'd played fair." "'Played fair'!"--Cai flamed up at last--"I don't take that from you, 'Bias Hunken, nor yet from any one! You fell into your own trap--that's what happened to _you_. . . . 'Played fair'? I suppose you was playin' fair when you sneaked off unbeknowns and early to Rilla that mornin', after we'd agreed--" "Well?" asked 'Bias, as Cai came to a halt. "You know well enough what we agreed," was Cai's tame conclusion.