ughty challenge, to meet
him in the ring at Bodmin-town, on the first day of August, or else to
return my champion's belt to them by the messenger.

It is no use to deny but that I was greatly dashed and scared at first.
For my part, I was only, when measured without clothes on, sixty inches
round the breast, and round the calf scarce twenty-one, only two feet
across the shoulders, and in height not six and three-quarters. However,
my mother would never believe that this man could beat me; and Lorna
being of the same mind, I resolved to go and try him, as they would pay
all expenses and a hundred pounds, if I conquered him; so confident were
those Cornishmen.

Now this story is too well known for me to go through it again and
again. Every child in Devonshire knows, and his grandson will know, the
song which some clever man made of it, after I had treated him to water,
and to lemon, and a little sugar, and a drop of eau-de-vie. Enough that
I had found the giant quite as big as they had described him, and enough
to terrify any one. But trusting in my practice and study of the art, I
resolved to try a back with him; and when my arms were round him once,
the giant was but a farthingale put into the vice of a blacksmith. The
man had no bones; his frame sank in, and I was afraid of crushing him.
He lay on his back, and smiled at me; and I begged his pardon.

Now this affair made a noise at the time, and redounded so much to my
credit, that I was deeply grieved at it, because deserving none. For
I do like a good strife and struggle; and the doubt makes the joy of
victory; whereas in this case, I might as well have been sent for a
match with a hay-mow. However, I got my hundred pounds, and made up my
mind to spend every farthing in presents for mother and Lorna.

For Annie was married by this time, and long before I went away; as need
scarcely be said, perhaps; if any one follows the weeks and the months.
The wedding was quiet enough, except for everybody's good wishes; and I
desire not to dwell upon it, because it grieved me in many ways.

But now that I had tried to hope the very best for dear Annie, a deeper
blow than could have come, even through her, awaited me. For after that
visit to Cornwall, and with my prize-money about me, I came on foot
from Okehampton to Oare, so as to save a little sum towards my time of
marrying. For Lorna's fortune I would not have; small or great I would
not have it; only if there were no d