d Banner lickin' by an artist who
kin comb down any man that owes allegiance to Queen Victoree. Here's a
Heenan for your Tom Sayers."

The Englishman began disrobing with an alacrity that showed how much
his heart was in it. A ring was speedily formed, the officers, mainly
Lieutenants and Captains, eagerly assisting, while keeping their eyes
over their shoulders to see that no one of much higher rank was in the
neighborhood.

When the men confronted one another it was seen that they were a
fairly-good match. The English man was stouter and heavier; he showed
a splendid forearm, with corresponding swelling muscles near the
shoulders, and the way he poised himself and put up his hands revealed
that he had "science" as well as strength and courage. Shorty was taller
and more spare, but he was quicker and had the longer reach. It looked
as if the Englishman had the advantage, from his solid strength and
staying power, as well as "science." But those who looked on Shorty
as inferior did not know of the training he had received among the
turbulent crews of the Mississippi River boats. A man who had summered
and wintered with that fractious race had little to learn in any trick
or device of fighting.

The first round showed that both were past-masters of ring tactics.
Their wardings and layings for openings were so perfect that neither
could get a blow in.

When they stopped for a moment to breathe the Englishman said with frank
admiration:

"Y're a heap better lot than Hi thort yer. Where'd ye learn to handle
yer dukes?"

"Never mind where I learned," answered Shorty. "I learned enough to git
away with any English man that ever chawed roast beef."

Again they closed, and sparred quick and hard for advantage, but neither
succeeded in getting in any thing but light, ineffective blows. Each
realized that the other was a dangerous man to handle, and each kept
cool and watched his chances. When they took another second to breathe
the Englishman said:

"I'm goin' to settle ye this time, young feller, in spite o' yer
fibbin'. Ye peck around me like a cock pickin' up corn, but I'll bust
ye. Look hout for yerself."

He made a savage rush to break through Shorty's guard by main force,
but Shorty evaded him by a quick movement, the Englishman struck his toe
against a piece of railroad iron, and fell to his knees. Shorty had him
at his mercy, but he merely stepped back a little further, and waited
for his opponent to rise an