, as Joe set him down again.

"Fat, am I?" demanded Joe, scowling.

"Fat as a 'og--fat as forty bloomin' 'ogs!" cried the old man
vindictively. "An' what's more, your wind's all gone--you couldn't go
five rounds wi' a good 'un!"

"Couldn't I?"

"No!" shrieked the Old Un, "you'd be 'anging on an' blowing like a
grampus!"

"Should I?"

"Ah--like a grampus!"

"Right-o!" nodded Joe, turning away, "no jam for _your_ tea to-night."

"Eh, what--what, would ye rob a pore old man of 'is jam, Joe--a pore
afflicted old cove as is dependent on ye 'and an' fut, Joe--a pore old
gaffer as you've just shook up to that degree as 'is pore old liver is
a-bobbin' about in 'is innards like a jelly. Joe, ye couldn't be so
'eartless!"

"Ah, but I can!" nodded Joe. "An' if ye give me any more lip, it'll be
no sugar in ye tea--"

"No sugar!" wailed the Old Un, then clenching a trembling old fist, he
shook it in Joe's scowling face. "Then dang ye--three times!" he cried.
"What's the old song say?

"'Dang the man with three times three
Who in 'is 'eathen rage
Can 'arm a 'armless man like me
Who's 'ead is bowed wi' age!'

"An' there's for ye. Now listen again:

"'Some men is this an' some is that,
But 'ere's a truth I know:
A fightin' cove who's run to fat
Is bound t' puff an' blow!'

"An' there's for ye again!"

Saying which, the Old Un nodded ferociously and proceeded to light his
fragmentary pipe. During this colloquy Ravenslee had laid by his shabby
clothes and now appeared clad and shod for the ring.

"Sir," said Joe, taking a set of gloves from a locker, "if you are ready
to box a round or so--"

"Why, no," answered Ravenslee, "I don't want to box to-day, Joe."

"Eh?" said Joe, staring, "not?"

"I want to fight, Joe."

"To--fight, sir?" repeated Joe.

"Fight?" cried the Old Un rapturously. "Oh, music--sweet music t' me old
ears! Fight? Oh, j'yful words! What's the old song say?

"''Appy is the first as goes
To black a eye or punch a nose!'"

"Get the mufflers on, Joe; get 'em on an' don't stand staring like a
fool!"

"But, sir," said Joe, his mild eyes kindling, "d' ye mean as you
want--the real thing?"

"To-day," said Ravenslee, "instead of boxing a round or two with Joe
Madden, my chauffeur and mechanic, I want to see how long I can stand up
to Joe Madden, undefeated champion of the world."

Joe's lean cheek flushed and he looked Ravenslee over with eyes of
yearning; noted the thin flanks and