‘Is that a way to talk to gentlemen?’ said Dorando with a very ugly look.
‘It’s the way to talk to you, my lads,’ I said. ‘I’ve known you too long. Strip yourselves and come inside. If not, I give you one minute to get out of here.’
Dorando was livid, but Stringer only smiled sleepily. He was the more dangerous of the two, for he was mighty quick on the draw and didn’t miss. He had a long thin face, and few teeth, which made his mouth as prim as a lawyer’s. I kept my eye on him, having whispered to Lombard to mark Dorando. But they didn’t try to rush us, only said a word to each other and turned and went back. That was the end of the first bout.
All afternoon nothing happened. The heat was blistering, and as there was no water on the hill and we had nothing liquid but a flask of brandy,
