certain short-haired, thick-set individual
who frequented his place.

"What I want," said the letter, "is the best man you can get. Some one
who is a sure winner, and can punch the stuffing out of this amateur
duck from Prescott. Don't make a mistake, and do not spare money. Get a
star, as the boys will bet all they have on him, and we do not want to
take any chances."

The following week the chairman of the committee of the Phoenix
organization received a letter from his brother in Chicago, which
informed him that for two hundred dollars, and expenses, they had
secured the services of a well-known professional, but one who had never
been West, and who, they were sure, could "lick" anything which could be
produced, professional or amateur, on the Pacific Coast. He had
commenced training, and they could rest easy, and bet as much money as
they wanted to.

Meanwhile the Prescott Club's representative had made a rich find in San
Francisco, in the shape of an Australian professional who had just
landed and was therefore not likely to be recognized. He had a record of
numerous victories in his own country, and cheerfully undertook, for the
sum of seventy-five dollars, "to knock the bloomin' head off any
bloomin' duffer," anywhere near his own weight, that might be brought
against him.

Things went along merrily, letters were exchanged between the chairman
of the two committees reporting as to the progress of their
representatives.

"Our young man," wrote the Prescott leader, "is doing very well, and I
hope great things from him. Naturally we want to win, and have secured
the best man of good amateur standing in our town to represent us. He is
a drug clerk, and his mother objected pretty strongly at first, but she
has been talked over. There will be a party of at least one hundred of
us go down with him, and I hope you will have front seats reserved for
us. Most of the boys feel inclined to wager a little on the success of
our representative, but he himself does not feel very confident of the
result. Upon my return I found quite a strong feeling in favor of having
the young gunsmith represent us, but, after my conversation with you,
could not for a moment countenance any such proceedings on our part."

Two nights following, the Prescott chairman read the following letter
in answer to the one which he had sent:

TO R. W. JOHNSON, ESQ.,
_Chairman of the Committee
for the Prescott Athletic Club