`` Bill , '' said the stranger in a voice that I thought he had tried to make bold and big . The captain spun round on his heel and fronted us ; all the brown had gone out of his face , and even his nose was blue ; he had the look of a man who sees a ghost , or the evil one , or something worse , if anything can be ; and upon my word , I felt sorry to see him all in a moment turn so old and sick . `` Come , Bill , you know me ; you know an old shipmate , Bill , surely , '' said the stranger . The captain made a sort of gasp . `` Black Dog ! '' said he . `` And who else ? '' returned the other , getting more at his ease . `` Black Dog as ever was , come for to see his old shipmate Billy , at the Admiral Benbow inn . Ah , Bill , Bill , we have seen a sight of times , us two , since I lost them two talons , '' holding up his mutilated hand . `` Now , look here , '' said the captain ; `` you 've run me down ; here I am ; well , then , speak up ; what is it ? '' `` That 's you , Bill , '' returned Black Dog , `` you 're in the right of it , Billy . I 'll have a glass of rum from this dear child here , as I 've took such a liking to ; and we 'll sit down , if you please , and talk square , like old shipmates . '' When I returned with the rum , they were already seated on either side of the captain 's breakfast-table -- Black Dog next to the door and sitting sideways so as to have one eye on his old shipmate and one , as I thought , on his retreat . He bade me go and leave the door wide open . `` None of your keyholes for me , sonny , '' he said ; and I left them together and retired into the bar . For a long time , though I certainly did my best to listen , I could hear nothing but a low gattling ; but at last the voices began to grow higher , and I could pick up a word or two , mostly oaths , from the captain . `` No , no , no , no ; and an end of it ! '' he cried once . And again , `` If it comes to swinging , swing all , say I. '' Then all of a sudden there was a tremendous explosion of oaths and other noises -- the chair and table went over in a lump , a clash of steel followed , and then a cry of pain , and the next instant I saw Black Dog in full flight , and the captain hotly pursuing , both with drawn cutlasses , and the former streaming blood from the left shoulder .
Just at the door the captain aimed at the fugitive one last tremendous cut , which would certainly have split him to the chine had it not been intercepted by our big signboard of Admiral XXXXX .
Benbow Bill Billy Dog cutlasses explosion gattling keyholes left right