Just before the peep of day Captain Bragg, accompanied by his second,
repaired to the spot selected for the duel. Toney had informed his
principal of the terms agreed upon by Wiggins and himself, and the old
warrior forbore to make any inquiry in relation to the weapons to be
used on the occasion; Tom Seddon having kindly undertaken to convey them
to the ground during the night, so as to avoid observation. Bragg
expressed his satisfaction with the arrangement, and reiterated his
readiness to fight with any weapon, even with a gun loaded with Greek
fire, or with hot water, as Seddon again suggested.
As they came in sight of the dueling-ground, Bragg suddenly halted and
said, in a tone of vexation,--
"Mr. Belton, we will be interrupted."
"Why so?" inquired Toney.
"There is a gypsy camp in the grove. I perceive their fires among the
trees."
"You are mistaken, Captain Bragg. There are no gypsies within a hundred
miles of us. No doubt Seddon has kindled a fire with dry sticks. Let us
go on."
They now entered the grove, and Bragg stood still with a look of
amazement. At twelve paces apart were two fires, each kept alive by a
negro, who was busily employed in piling on fuel. Over each fire was an
iron pot filled with water, in a state of active ebullition. In the
space between the two fires was Tom Seddon, walking to and fro with his
hands behind his back, giving directions to his sable assistants who had
charge of the pots.
"By the powers of mud!" exclaimed Bragg, "what does this mean?"
"It means," said Toney, "that everything is prepared, and that we are
only waiting for the arrival of Botts. Tom, have you got the guns
ready?"
"Here they are," said Tom, producing two tin tubes painted black and
about the size of a musket-barrel. Each had a rod projecting from one
end and a nozzle on the other. Seddon handed one of them to Bragg,
saying, "Here is your weapon, captain."
"What is this?" inquired Bragg.
"It is your gun," said Seddon.
"Gun--gun! Do you call this a gun?" said Bragg.
"I most certainly do," said Seddon.
"You had better load the gun, Tom," said Belton, "and show the captain
how it is to be used."
Tom took the tube, and, putting the nozzle in the pot of boiling water
nearest to him, drew back the rod. He then brought the tube up
horizontally, and called out to the negro having charge of the other
pot, "Stand out of the way there, Hannibal!" Hannibal dodged to one
side, and Seddon, with a vigorous thrust of the rod, threw a stream of
scalding water from the nozzle to a distance of more than forty feet.
"There, captain," said Tom, "if Botts stands before such a discharge as
that, he is as brave a man as ever wore breeches."
"What devil's work is this?" said Bragg. "Do you suppose that I am
going to stand over a witch's caldron and have a man squirt hot water at
me until he has put out my eyes and scalded all the hair off my head?"
"You will have an opportunity to show your coolness in the midst of
danger," said Seddon; "you will, undoubtedly, put your adversary to
flight. I'll bet that Botts don't stand before a single discharge. If he
does, he should have license to beat any man's monkey when he is in a
belligerent humor. And, captain, did you not express your willingness to
fight with a gun loaded with hot water? Now, here are the guns, and
there are Caesar and Hannibal with an abundant supply of ammunition."
"And it is too late to make other arrangements," said Belton. "It is
broad daylight, and Botts will be on the ground in a moment. I hope you
are not going to back down, Captain Bragg."
"Back down!" exclaimed Bragg. "I would have you know that I never back
down. I would have fought with a harpoon, or a boomerang, or anything of
the sort; but who ever heard of hot water employed in combats between
man and man? It is devil's work!"
"Captain Bragg, you are mistaken," said Seddon. "Hot water has often
been used in wars between civilized nations. Did you never hear of the
fighting aeolipile?"
"What is that?" inquired Bragg.
"A tube filled with scalding fluid, which was projected in the face of
the enemy. The Egyptians, the Assyrians, and the Greeks were accustomed
to use these weapons, and to put their enemies to flight with them, as I
am certain that you will put Botts to flight."
"Hot water was used on one occasion in modern warfare with great
efficiency," said Belton. "The bravest troops in the army of Napoleon
the Great were baffled and held at bay by it."
"Where was that?" asked Bragg.
"In Spain,"[3] said Toney. "The Spanish troops were routed. They dropped
their arms on the field and fled into a nunnery. The French had no
artillery, and attempted to take the place by a _coup de main_. But the
petticoats were prepared for them. From every window pails of hot water
were poured down upon them. The French troops could stand anything but
that. They fell back. They gave way; whole platoons cutting the most
prodigious capers; patting the posterior parts of their persons with
their open palms and performing sundry difficult and extraordinary
evolutions."
"Beaten by hot water!" said Seddon.
"Yes," said Toney. "Their brave general, who bore on his person the
scars of scores of battles, attempted to rally them; but they refused to
advance. Maddened by the apparent poltroonery of his troops, he seized a
musket, and, rushing forward, commenced battering at the door with its
butt. The door gave way, and the brave general was suddenly precipitated
forward. Before he could recover himself the petticoats were upon him.
With loud cries they seized him by the locks, while their nails made
frightful ravages in his face. Blinded, and baffled, and breathless, and
faint, he retreated without the door. A shower of hot water descended
from above, and, with a loud outcry, the old hero advanced backward with
amazing celerity, until, striking his foot against a stone, he fell,
'with his back to the field and his feet to the foe.' The door was
closed, the petticoats stood ready at the windows with their pails full
of hot water, and the besiegers were utterly disheartened."
"Did the French retreat? Did they abandon the contest?" asked Seddon.
"No," said Toney. "Napoleon rode on the field. He was enraged at the
timidity of his troops. He ordered up a battalion of the Old Guard. It
was all over with the garrison then. Their fires had gone out, and their
water was cold. They prayed to every saint in the calendar, and made an
especial appeal to Joshua, the son of Nun, to save them. It was of no
avail. The door was battered down, the Imperial Guard marched in, and
the captured petticoats were led away as the musicians struck up the
tone, 'I won't be a Nun.'"
"So you see, Captain Bragg, that hot water has been employed in both
ancient and modern warfare," said Seddon. "And brave men have fled
before it. If you stand firmly before the shower discharged by Botts
from yonder tube, nobody will ever dare to dispute your courage."
"If Botts can stand it, I can," said Bragg, doggedly. "But," said
he,--and his face brightened up as he looked at his watch,--"I will
remain here no longer. The sun is up, Mr. Belton, and where is the
challenger?"
"Yonder comes his second," said Seddon.
Bragg's countenance was instantly beclouded.
"Good-morning, Mr. Wiggins," said Belton. "I do not see your principal.
Where is Mr. Botts?"
"He has fled," said Wiggins.
"Fled?" said Belton.
"Fled!" exclaimed Bragg; and his face became as radiant as the morning
just then illuminated by the sun which had appeared above the eastern
horizon.
"Yes," said Wiggins, "Botts has run off like an arrant poltroon."
"I will post him for cowardice!" exclaimed Bragg.
"As you please," said Wiggins. "I want nothing more to do with Mr.
Botts. He attempted to assassinate me."
"Assassinate you!" exclaimed Toney.
"Yes, sir; when I informed him of the terms proposed by you, he
attempted to take my life."
"Attempted to kill his second!" said Seddon.
"The assassin! the ruffian! the poltroon! I'll post him!" said Bragg.
"He jumped up and aimed a blow at my head with a chair," said Wiggins.
"An assault and battery," said Tom. "Liable in a suit for damages."
"He afterwards became calm, apologized for the outrage, and agreed to
meet Captain Bragg at the hour named. But when I called for him this
morning he had disappeared."
"Disappeared!" said Toney.
"Yes, sir,--absconded,--fled to parts unknown."
"I will publish him," said Bragg. "I will prepare placards with the
words BOTTS and COWARD in letters as big as my hand! Come, Mr. Belton;
come, gentlemen."
"Put out the fires, Caesar. Take care of the pots, Hannibal," said
Seddon. And with these instructions to those two distinguished
personages, Tom shouldered the tin tubes and followed after Bragg, who,
with Belton and Wiggins, was proceeding with rapid strides towards the
town.
FOOTNOTE:
[3] We have not been to find any account of this combat in Napier's
History of the Peninsular War. The historian overlooked it.