c battery. These machines had a singular
attraction for the people. The mysterious fluid that ran silently and
invisibly through the copper wires put them in touch with the mysteries
of Nature. And they gripped the brass handles, holding on till the
tension became too great, with the conscientious air of people taking
medicine.

Stinky, full of jealous fear, had dragged Pinkey to the new market,
where he meant to treat her to green peas and ice-cream. But as they
passed the battery, a sudden desire swept through him to give an
exhibition of his strength and endurance to this girl, to force her
admiration with the vanity of a cock strutting before his hens.

He took hold of the brass handles, and watched the dial, like a
clock-face, that marked the intensity of the current. The muscles of
his face contracted into a rigid stare as the electric current ran
through his limbs. He had the face of one visiting the dentist, but he
held on until the pointer marked half-way. Then he nodded, and dropped
the handles with a sigh of relief as the current was turned off.

But as he looked to Pinkey for the applause that he had earned, Chook
stepped up to the machine and, with an impudent grin at Pinkey, grasped
the handles. The pointer moved slowly round, and passed Stinky's mark,
but Chook held on, determined to eclipse his rival. His muscles seemed
to be cracking with pain, the seconds lengthened into intolerable
hours. Suddenly, as the dial marked three-quarters, he dropped the
handles with a grin of triumph at Pinkey.

Stinky, smarting with defeat, instantly took up the challenge.

"That's no test of strength," he cried angrily. "Women can stand a lot
more than men."

"Orl right; choose yer own game, an' I'm after yer," said Chook.

Behind them a hammer fell with a tremendous thud, and a voice cried,
"Try yer strength--only a penny, only a penny."

"'Ow'll that suit yer?" inquired Stinky, with a malicious grin, for he
counted on his superior weight and muscle to overcome his rival.

"Let 'er go!" cried Chook.

Stinky spat on his hands, and seized the wooden mallet. Cripes, he
would show Pinkey which was the better man of the two! He tightened
his muscles with tremendous effort as he swung the hammer, turning red
in the face with the exertion. The mallet fell, and a little manikin
flew up the pillar, marking the weight of the blow. It was a good
stroke, and he threw down the hammer with the air of a Sandow.