They left [Winona] the morning of January 27 at 5:00 a.m. for a return engagement in Madison [Page 443 The Life of Mark Twain - The Middle Years 1871-1891]

“Ozias seems to have had a heart attack at Madison; nevertheless he accompanied the tour to Milwaukee, where he took to his bed. At this point a tug of war began between Clemens and J.B.Pond. The major wished to remain snugly ensconced at the Everett House in New York, but like most men, he lacked the force of character necessary to hold out against Clemens.” (pg 52 Cardwell)

See Touring with Cable and Huck for review.

" It would be impossible to do justice to the richness of the treat which Mark Twain offered. His dry recital of the desperate encounter he had with an interviewer was ludicrous in the extreme, and could only be appreciated upon being heard. The story of Huck Finn and Tom's Sawyer's brilliant achievement in rescuing a negro captive who was imprisoned in a cabin on the farm of Huck's uncle, kept the audience in a constant roar of laughter, while the stuttering story was unique and highly amusing. The anecdote of how Smiley's frog was charged with shot by a clever stranger, who afterwards won $40 from the owner in a jumping contest between a fresh frog from the marsh and the trained pet of Smiley's, was very entertaining. Twain closed by giving in all its details the narrow escape from a duel which he had with a rival editor while running a western paper, and claimed that the practice of dueling was pernicious and ought to be frowned down by all good citizens. He said that if he were challenged now, he would take the challenging party by the hand, gently lead him off into some quiet, secluded place and there--kill him."