fraud. Couldn't stand up to a Froggy, _'e_ couldn't. His
Company muddled the 'ole bag o' tricks, and made a hawful mess of it.
Ah, and _would_ agen, mark yer, if they got the chance. Should a'most
like to see 'em _'ave_ another shy, if only for the bloomin' fun o'
the thing; but it 'ud be a bit too expensive, and bring discredit on
our Noble Hart, besides."

(_Comments of the I.B.H. "Brayco, Brummagem Bantam! His style of
hitting is straight and smart, in the ring or out of it. Hope the
over-rated Hawardian Old 'Un and his Company relish the pepper
young JOE has administered to the shifty Veteran and his parasitic
'Items'!"_)

II.--_FROM THE "NEWCASTLE NOBBLER," ALIAS "HONEST JOHN."_

"Werry much surprised to see as that windictive Bounder, the
'Brummagem Bantam,' has bin a letting out wicious like at his old
pals, the 'Arwarden Old 'Un and his Pugilistic Company. '_They_
was muffs and muddlers,' he sez. Well, he ought to ha' said 'we,'
considerin' as _he wos one on 'em_!!! The Old 'Un was his first
patron, and me and other members of the Company his pertikler pals,
and _then_ he used for to crack us all up sky-high. _Now_ he rounds
on us for 'making a mess of it.' Well, praps if _all_ wos knowed--but
no matter! Only, to quarrel with your old pals, and then go about
a-sneerin' and a-jeerin' at them for wot you yerself wos a party to,
_I_ call 'hitting below the belt'"!

(_Comments of the I.B.H. "Bosh! 'Honest JOHN' is a shrew, and not a
Practical Pug. Is one prizefighter never to criticise another's style
because he's once been in the same Company with him? Might as well say
he must therefore never improve his own style. Besides, any stick is
good enough to beat the Grand Old Pug-dog with!"_)

III.--_REJOINDER OF THE "BRUMMAGEM BANTAM."_

"'Itting below the belt be jolly well blowed! Honest JOHN don't
believe a word 'e sez--it's ony his narsty spite. Makes hisself the
wiaduck for the 'Arwarden Gang's witrol and winegar, _e_' do. In
course I wos one o' the Old 'Un's Company, wus luck! But I've larned
a bit since then. Wot do _you_ think? When I larruped my old pals, and
called 'em mugs, messers, and muddlers, in corse I included myself,
tacit-like. _But there was no call for to say so!_ As to not showing
of 'em up acos I wos one of 'em--Wal_ker_!!! If _that's_ the Newcastle
Nobbler's 'theory' of fair-play, 'e may jest go 'ome and eat coke!"

(_Comments of the I.B.H. "The B.B. is quite right. If a Pug may not
ro