it meant a
lot. Perhaps the single men didn't care to speak for fear that it would
be said that they were gone on Mary. But presently Jimmy Nowlett gave a
big puff at his pipe and spoke--

'I suppose you got bit too in that quarter, Romany?'

'Oh, she tried it on, but it didn't go,' said Romany. 'I've met her sort
before. She's setting her cap at that Jackaroo now. Some girls will run
after anything with trousers on,' and he stood up.

Jack Barnes must have felt what was coming, for he grabbed my arm, and
whispered, 'Sit still, Joe, damn you! He's too good for you!' but I was
on my feet and facing Romany as if a giant hand had reached down and
wrenched me off the log and set me there.

'You're a damned crawler, Romany!' I said.

Little Jimmy Nowlett was between us and the other fellows round us
before a blow got home. 'Hold on, you damned fools!' they said. 'Keep
quiet till we get away from the house!' There was a little clear flat
down by the river and plenty of light there, so we decided to go down
there and have it out.

Now I never was a fighting man; I'd never learnt to use my hands. I
scarcely knew how to put them up. Jack often wanted to teach me, but I
wouldn't bother about it. He'd say, 'You'll get into a fight some day,
Joe, or out of one, and shame me;' but I hadn't the patience to learn.
He'd wanted me to take lessons at the station after work, but he used to
get excited, and I didn't want Mary to see him knocking me about. Before
he was married Jack was always getting into fights--he generally tackled
a better man and got a hiding; but he didn't seem to care so long as
he made a good show--though he used to explain the thing away from a
scientific point of view for weeks after. To tell the truth, I had a
horror of fighting; I had a horror of being marked about the face; I
think I'd sooner stand off and fight a man with revolvers than fight him
with fists; and then I think I would say, last thing, 'Don't shoot me
in the face!' Then again I hated the idea of hitting a man. It seemed
brutal to me. I was too sensitive and sentimental, and that was what
the matter was. Jack seemed very serious on it as we walked down to the
river, and he couldn't help hanging out blue lights.

'Why didn't you let me teach you to use your hands?' he said. 'The
only chance now is that Romany can't fight after all. If you'd waited
a minute I'd have been at him.' We were a bit behind the rest, and Jack
started giving me poin