"Wot ud be de use? I t'ink he kin get away wid you, Pete, an' I wanter
see de fun. He's chain lightnin', ole man, an' you better be sure of yer
holt."

"I'll give all dere is on him if you'll help, Dick!" said Pete.

Mr. Dootleby took his watch, his gold pencil, and a dollar or so in
change from his pockets, and tossed them toward Dick.

"That's all I've got," he said. "Now, let us alone."

Dick slid the coins in his pocket and carefully examined the gold watch.
"Dere's a good 'eal er sportin' blood in de old gen'l'man, Pete; a good
'eal er sportin' blood," he remarked, with the utmost cheerfulness.
"Bein' a sportin' man myself I ainter goin' back on a frien'."

"You're goin' back on your word fast enough!" said Pete bitterly.

"No, I aint. I toljer I wouldn't bodder you. I didn't guarantee nobody
else. You sed she was yourn, and you was goin' to make her promise to
quit young Swiggsy. I offered to match you five dollars agin de gurl,
an' I said if you was to win I wouldn't trouble you. You said if I
winned I could have her. All right. I lost, an' I give up my good money.
Den you went ter work wallopin' de gurl. You'd er kilt her if dis covey
hadn't er lit in. All right, dat wasn't no fault er mine. An' fur all
me, he kin stick dat blazin' iron clear down yer t'roat, an' I'll set
yere an' take it in widout winkin'."

Mr. Dootleby listened intently to this speech. It afforded him an
inkling of the situation.

"Is this girl your daughter?" he said.

Pete was in no humor to parley. He could only growl and swear. When he
had relieved himself without, enlightening Mr. Dootleby, Dick spoke
again.

"She ain't nobody's darter, ole gent, but he sez she's his gurl. She
been keepin' comp'ny wid young Swiggsy, an' she wont promise not ter.
Dat's de whole biznuss. De harder he walloped, de more she wouldn't
promise."

Mr. Dootleby felt in his arms the strength of a whole army corps. "Look
here," he said to Dick, "will you promise me fair play?"

"Dey wont nobody interfere widjer," Dick replied. "I'll be de empire,
an' I t'ink I kin referee a mill 'long er de bes'. Sail right in, ole
gent. The gurl stan's fer de di'mun' belt. If you knocks out yer man,
she's yourn. If he licks you, an' has any strength left, he kin go on
wid his wallopin'."

"Sissy's" soothing hand and the fresh air coming through the door had
brought back life into the girl's limp body. She was still weak and
prostrate, lying at full length on the