Mr Winkle had decided to accept the challenge for several reasons. The most important reason was his reputation with the club. Everyone considered that he was a great expert on everything to do with attack or defence or making sure that he did not have to do either. But his reputation as an expert would be lost forever if, the very first time he was tested, he refused to accept the challenge, and his leader was right there to see what happened.

Besides, Mr Winkle remembered something. He had heard people talking about this sort of challenge, and some of these people thought that the helpers who loaded the guns made sure that they did not actually have any bullets in them. Mr Winkle decided to ask Mr Snodgrass to be his helper. If he described to Mr Snodgrass what a dangerous thing he was going to do, Mr Snodgrass might tell Mr Pickwick. Mr Pickwick would certainly call the police at once, and so prevent the death or serious injury of Mr Winkle.

Thinking all this, he returned to the coffee room,and announced that he was going to accept the doctor's challenge.

'Will you give me the name of a friend, to arrange the time and place of the fight?' said the officer.

'Quite unnecessary,' replied Mr Winkle; 'tell me,and I will make sure that I have a friend with me.'

'Shall we say - sunset this evening?' asked the officer, as thought they were discussing something unimportant.

'Very good,' replied Mr Winkle, thinking in his heart that really it was very bad.