but planting his knee on my breast, seized my throat with two huge
horny hands. I gave myself up for dead, and probably should have been so
in another minute but for the tall girl, who caught hold of the
handkerchief which the fellow wore round his neck with a grasp nearly as
powerful as that with which he pressed my throat.

"Do you call that fair play?" said she.

"Hands off, Belle," said the other woman; "do you call it fair play to
interfere? hands off, or I'll be down upon you myself."

But Belle paid no heed to the injunction, and tugged so hard at the
handkerchief, that the Flaming Tinman was nearly throttled; suddenly
relinquishing his hold of me, he started on his feet, and aimed a blow at
my fair preserver, who avoided it, but said coolly:--

"Finish t'other business first, and then I'm your woman whenever you
like; but finish it fairly--no foul play when I'm by--I'll be the boy's
second, and Moll can pick up you when he happens to knock you down."

The battle during the next ten minutes raged with considerable fury, but
it so happened that during this time I was never able to knock the
Flaming Tinman down, but on the contrary received six knock-down blows
myself. "I can never stand this," said I, as I sat on the knee of Belle,
"I am afraid I must give in; the Flaming Tinman hits very hard," and I
spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Sure enough you'll never beat the Flaming Tinman in the way you
fight--it's of no use flipping at the Flaming Tinman with your left hand;
why don't you use your right?"

"Because I'm not handy with it," said I; and then getting up, I once more
confronted the Flaming Tinman, and struck him six blows for his one, but
they were all left-handed blows, and the blow which the Flaming Tinman
gave me knocked me off my legs.

"Now, will you use Long Melford?" said Belle, picking me up.

"I don't know what you mean by Long Melford," said I, gasping for breath.

"Why, this long right of yours," said Belle, feeling my right arm--"if
you do, I shouldn't wonder if you yet stand a chance."

And now the Flaming Tinman was once more ready, much more ready than
myself. I, however, rose from my second's knee as well as my weakness
would permit me; on he came, striking left and right, appearing almost as
fresh as to wind and spirit as when he first commenced the combat, though
his eyes were considerably swelled, and his nether lip was cut in two; on
he came, striking left and right, and I d