The shaft went home. 'Bias's voice shook as he replied-- "I mayn't know much about education, at two minutes' notice; and I mayn't pretend to know much about ploughin' and wear a button in my coat to excuse it. But I reckon that for a pound a side I could plough you silly, Cai Hocken." It was uttered in full hearing of some ten or twelve spectators, mostly townsmen of Troy; and these, turning their heads, for a moment not believing their ears, stared speechlessly at the two men whose friendship had in six months passed into a local byword. Cap'n Hocken and Gap'n Hunken--what, _quarrelling?_ No, no--nonsense: it must be their fun! But the faces of the pair told a different tale. It was a stranger--a young farmer from two parishes away--who let off the first guffaw. "A bet, naybours!--did 'ee hear _that?_ Take him up, little man--he won't eat 'ee." "I'll go ten shillin' myself, rather than miss it," announced another voice. "Ten shillin' on the bantam!" "Get out with 'ee both," spoke up a citizen of Troy. "You don't know the men. 'Tisn't serious now--is it, Cap'n Hocken?--well as you're actin'--" "Why not?" Cai stood, breathing hard, eyeing his adversary. "If _he_ means it?" "That's right! Cover his money?" cried an encouraging voice behind him. The young farmer slapped his thigh, and ran off to the next group. "Hi, you fellows! A match!" He shouted it. They turned about. "What is it, Bill Crago?"--for they read in his excited gestures that he had real news. "The fun o' the fair, boys! Two ships'-cap'ns offering to plough for a pound a side--if you ever!" "Drunk!" suggested somebody. "What's the odds if they be? 'Twill be all the better fun," answered Mr Crago. "No--far's one can tell they're dead sober. Come along and listen--" He hurried back and they after him. "If he chooses to back out?" Cai was taunting Bias as the crowd pressed around. So true is it that:-- "To be wroth with one we love Doth work like madness in the brain." "Who wants to back out?" answered 'Bias sullenly. "If a man insults me, I hold him to his word: either that or he takes it back." "Quite right, Cap'n';" prompted a voice. "And he can't tell us he didn't say it, for I heard him!" "I ain't takin' nothin' back." 'Bias faced about doggedly. By this time, as their wits cleared a little, each was aware of his folly, and each would gladly have retreated from this public exhibition of it. But as the crowd increased, neither would be the first to yield and invite its certain jeers. Moreover, each was furiously incensed: anything seemed better than to be shamed by _him_, to give _him_ a cheap triumph.