'Price of fame! said the Prodigal.

Mike grinned. 'Don't be selfish, Jim. I've got nothing to do this
afternoon, an' would just as soon watch a good scrap. Why not oblige the
kind gentleman?'

'You and the kind gentleman can go hang!'

'They've got Brummy the Nut there,' the Prodigal said. 'Brummy is a lag
who had all the sensibilities battered out of him in the quarries. He has
no science, but hits like the kick of a cart-horse, and is humbly
grateful for punishment that would knock the hide off an old man
hippopotamus.'

'Look here, you won't disappoint poor Brummy the Nut,' pleaded Mike, with
mock gravity.

The deputation of two returned after another conference.

'How would you take it,' asked the first speaker--. 'mind, we're just
asking, being anxious to bring about a friendly meeting--how would you
take it if our man gave you a bit of a clip over the ear?'

This was put as a reasonable possibility, and as a simple and pleasant
method of establishing a casus belli that might satisfy Done's ridiculous
punctilio.

'I'd take it very badly,' said Jim warmly, 'and probably knock your man's
confounded head off his shoulders with this pick-handle.'

''Twouldn't be done unfriendly,' said the second man in a hurt tone.

'Why doesn't your man show himself?'

'They guessed his beauty would prejudice you,' said the Prodigal. 'You
might have conscientious scruples, and refuse to do anything to mar so
perfect a specimen of Nature's handiwork.'

One of the strangers beckoned, and his party advanced with their
champion. Done gazed wonderingly at the man they brought against him.
Brummy the Nut was perhaps five feet nine inches in height, but walked in
the stooping attitude of a person under a burden, his long arms swinging
in a manner that strengthened the hint of gorilla in his broad, battered
face; he dragged his feet as if the ball and chain were still at his
heels, and, despite the enormous strength suggested by his massive limbs
and great trunk, bore himself with a childish meekness in ludicrous
contrast with his sinister appearance. All that long years in a convict
hell could do to rob a man of the grace of humanity and harden him to
pain and labour had been done for Brummy the Nut. The Nut favoured Jim,
Mike, and the Prodigal each with a duck of the head and a movement of his
hand towards the forehead.

'This is our man, Brummy the Nut,' said the party's spokesman.

'Well, Brummy, I won't fight you,' repl