And then the
betting--what a deal we may make by the betting--and that we shall have
all to ourselves, you, I, and the young woman; the brewer will have no
hand in that. I can manage to raise ten pounds, and if by flashing that
about, I don't manage to make a hundred, call me horse." "But, suppose,"
said I, "the party should lose, on whom you sport your money, even as the
birds did?" "We must first make all right," said the landlord, "as I
told you before; the birds were irrational beings, and therefore couldn't
come to an understanding with the others, as you and the young woman can.
The birds fought fair; but I intend you and the young woman should fight
cross." "What do you mean by cross?" said I. "Come, come," said the
landlord, "don't attempt to gammon me; you in the ring, and pretend not
to know what fighting cross is. That won't do, my fine fellow; but as no
one is near us, I will speak out. I intend that you and the young woman
should understand one another and agree beforehand which should be beat;
and if you take my advice you will determine between you that the young
woman shall be beat, as I am sure that the odds will run high upon her,
her character as a fist woman being spread far and wide, so that all the
flats who think it will be all right, will back her, as I myself would,
if I thought it would be a fair thing." "Then," said I, "you would not
have us fight fair." "By no means," said the landlord, "because why? I
conceives that a cross is a certainty to those who are in it, whereas by
the fair thing one may lose all he has." "But," said I, "you said the
other day, that you liked the fair thing." "That was by way of gammon,"
said the landlord; "just, do you see, as a Parliament cove might say
speechifying from a barrel to a set of flats, whom he means to sell.
Come, what do you think of the plan?"

"It is a very ingenious one," said I.

"A'n't it," said the landlord. "The folks in this neighbourhood are
beginning to call me old fool, but if they don't call me something else,
when they sees me friends with the brewer, and money in my pocket, my
name is not Catchpole. Come, drink your ale, and go home to the young
gentlewoman."

"I am going," said I, rising from my seat, after finishing the remainder
of the ale.

"Do you think she'll have any objection?" said the landlord.

"To do what?" said I.

"Why, to fight cross."

"Yes, I do," said I.

"But you will do your best to persuade h