y. They are both in famous wind, and there
is no crying "hold"; the shepherd is an old hand, and up to all the
dodges; he tries them one after another, and very nearly gets at
Willum's head by coming in near, and playing over his guard at the
half-stick, but somehow Willum blunders through, catching the stick on
his shoulders, neck, sides, every now and then, anywhere but on his
head, and his returns are heavy and straight, and he is the youngest
gamester and a favorite in the parish, and his gallant stand brings
down shouts and cheers, and the knowing ones think he'll win if he
keeps steady, and Tom, on the groom's shoulder, holds his hands
together, and can hardly breathe for excitement.

Alas for Willum! his sweetheart, getting tired of female
companionship, has been hunting the booths to see where he can have
got to, and now catches sight of him on the stage in full combat. She
flushes and turns pale; her old aunt catches hold of her saying:
"Bless 'ee,[61] child, doan't 'ee go a'nigst[62] it;" but she breaks
away and runs toward the stage calling his name. Willum keeps up his
guard stoutly, but glances for a moment toward the voice. No guard
will do it, Willum, without the eye. The shepherd steps round and
strikes, and the point of his stick just grazes Willum's forehead,
fetching off the skin, and the blood flows, and the umpire cries
"Hold," and poor Willum's chance is up for the day. But he takes it
very well, and puts on his old hat and coat, and goes down to be
scolded by his sweetheart, and led away out of mischief. Tom hears him
say coaxingly as he walks off:--

"Now doan't ee, Rachel! I wouldn't ha' done it, only I wanted
summut[63] to buy ee a fairing wi', and I be as vlush[64] o' money as
a twod[65] o' veathers."[66]

[61] #'ee#: thee, you.

[62] #A'nigst#: near.

[63] #Summut#: something or somewhat.

[64] #Vlush#: flush.

[65] #Twod#: a toad.

[66] #Veathers#: feathers.

"Thee minds what I tells ee," rejoins Rachel, saucily, "and doan't ee
keep blethering[67] about fairings." Tom resolves in his heart to give
Willum the remainder of his two shillings after the back-swording.

[67] #Blethering#: talking nonsense.

Joe Willis had all the luck to-day. His next bout ends in an easy
victory, while the shepherd has a tough job to break his second head;
and when Joe and the shepherd meet, and the whole circle expect and
hope to see him get a broken crown, the shepherd