men you
will not refuse. Let Mr. Topper and me fight it out, man to man,
and the coin go to the winner."

"Spoke like a man; what dost say, Topper?" said Job.

"Done!" says Topper, forthwith flinging off his coat, and rolling
up his shirt sleeves.

It was clear that I was incurring a risk, for the muscles of his
arms stood up like great globes; but if I could not match him in
strength, I hoped at least to have some little advantage of him in
science, thanks to the lessons of my good friend Captain
Galsworthy. I pulled off my coat, or rather Job's, starting a seam
as I did so, and then, the other two men standing between us and
the door, Topper and I began our bout.

I could see that he, as well as his companions, expected to win an
easy victory. But when at the end of the first round, we stopped at
Job's call for a breather, neither of us had got home more than a
few body blows, and Topper was patently chagrined, more especially
as the others could not forbear twitting him. He began the second
round with an impetuosity that kept me wholly on the defensive, and
pressed me so hard that I gave back and failed to counter a blow
that sent me spinning on to the hay behind. This afforded the
others much satisfaction, and at the call of time, they encouraged
Topper with a cry to give me a settler and have done with it.

But this was his undoing. He came at me with the same ferocity as
before, and, confident of a speedy victory, gave me an opening of
which I was quick to take advantage. In a trice I was within his
guard; I dealt him a right-hander with all my force; he staggered,
and before he could recover, a left-hander got him on the point of
the chin, and over he went with a thud on to the floor.

His companions bent over him in consternation. At that moment I
could have made my escape, I doubt not, had I chosen to dash for
the door, and indeed, I was on the point of doing so when I was
stayed by some feeling that it would be hardly becoming to take
flight then. Besides, the coin for which I had fought was still in
the fallen man's pocket.

He got up by and by, somewhat dazed and rubbing his head. He
glowered at me for a moment, then flung the crown towards me with a
curse.

"Who said he was green?" he muttered, allowing Job to help him on
with his coat.

"He's a viper," said Job consolingly. "We won't tell no one,
Topper."

It was light by this time, and Bill remarked that they had best be
getting back to Br