last he aimed a blow which, had it taken full effect, would
doubtless have ended the battle, but owing to his slipping, the fist only
grazed my left shoulder, and came with terrific force against a tree,
close to which I had been driven; before the Tinman could recover
himself, I collected all my strength, and struck him beneath the ear, and
then fell to the ground completely exhausted; and it so happened that the
blow which I struck the Tinker beneath the ear was a right-handed blow.

{picture:His eyes were considerably swelled, and his nether lip was cut
in two: page483.jpg}

'Hurrah for Long Melford!' I heard Belle exclaim; 'there is nothing like
Long Melford for shortness, all the world over.' At these words I turned
round my head as I lay, and perceived the Flaming Tinman stretched upon
the ground apparently senseless. 'He is dead,' said the vulgar woman, as
she vainly endeavoured to raise him up; 'he is dead; the best man in all
the north country, killed in this fashion, by a boy!' Alarmed at these
words, I made shift to get on my feet; and, with the assistance of the
woman, placed my fallen adversary in a sitting posture. I put my hand to
his heart, and felt a slight pulsation--'He's not dead,' said I, 'only
stunned; if he were let blood, he would recover presently.' I produced a
penknife which I had in my pocket, and, baring the arm of the Tinman, was
about to make the necessary incision, when the woman gave me a violent
blow, and, pushing me aside, exclaimed, 'I'll tear the eyes out of your
head if you offer to touch him. Do you want to complete your work, and
murder him outright, now he's asleep? you have had enough of his blood
already.' 'You are mad,' said I, 'I only seek to do him service. Well,
if you won't let him be blooded, fetch some water and fling it in his
face, you know where the pit is.'

{picture:It so happened that the blow which I struck the Tinker beneath
the ear was a right-handed blow: page485.jpg}

'A pretty manoeuvre!' said the woman; 'leave my husband in the hands of
you and that limmer, who has never been true to us--I should find him
strangled or his throat cut when I came back.' 'Do you go,' said I to
the tall girl; 'take the can and fetch some water from the pit.' 'You
had better go yourself,' said the girl, wiping a tear as she looked on
the yet senseless form of the Tinker; 'you had better go yourself, if you
think water will do him good.' I had by this time somewhat re