Somers was embarrassed at his position, and bewildered by the dashing speeches of his companion. A dozen pair of leering eyes were fixed upon him; a dozen mouths were wrinkled into sottish smiles, called up by his sufferings at that critical moment. He reached forth his hand, and grasped the slender stem of the wine-glass; but his arm trembled more than that of the most hardened toper in the group before him. He had been trembling in the presence of that squad of tyrants--those leer-eyed grinning debauchees, who seemed to be opening the gate of hell, and bidding him enter. "Tom Somers," said the still small voice which had spoken to him a thousand times before in the perils and temptations through which he had passed, "you have behaved yourself very well thus far. You have been promoted for bravery on the battlefield; and now will you cower in the presence of this brilliant brawler, and these weak-minded, cowardly tipplers? What would your mother say if she could see you now, with your shaking hand fastened to the wine-cup? What would Lilian Ashford say? Dare you drink the health of Emmie Guilford in such a place as this? You should have smote the lips that mentioned her name in such a presence!" He drew back his hand from the glass. His muscles tightened up, as they had on the bloody field of Williamsburg. Tom Somers was himself again. "Come, Somers, you don't drink," added the captain sarcastically. "No, I thank you; I never drink," he answered resolutely, as he cast a steady glance of pity and contempt at the bloated crew who had been reveling in his embarrassment. "You won't refuse now?" "Most decidedly." "Lieutenant Somers, I took you for a young man of pluck. I'm disappointed. You will pardon me, my dear fellow; but I can't help regarding your conduct as rather shabby." "I never drink, as I have said before, and I do not intend to begin now. If I have been shabby, I hope you will excuse me." "Certainly I will excuse you, when you atone for your folly, and drink with me." The spectators laughed, and evidently thought the captain had made a point. "Then I can never atone for my folly, as you call it," replied Somers, his courage increasing as the trial demanded it. "What would Lord Raglan have said if I had refused to drink his Sicily Madeira?" "Very likely he would have said just what you said; but there would have been no more sense in it then than now." "Bully for young 'un!" said a seedy dandy, whose love of fancy drinks had made a compromise with his love of dress. "I will leave it to these gentlemen to decide whether I have not spoken reason and good sense." "I will leave you and these _gentlemen_ to settle that question to suit yourselves, and I will bid you good-evening," said Somers, rising from his chair.