Malcolm drew back towards the wall. The customer who'd spoken was called George Boatwright, a high-coloured and truculent boatman whom Mr Polstead had had to throw out of the Trout half a dozen times; but he was a fair man, and he'd never spoken roughly to Malcolm. The silence in the bar now was profound, and even customers in other parts of the inn had become aware that something was happening, and had come to the doorway to watch