f as timekeeper. He
struck the gong, and the boxers met. Jim always smiled and bared his
teeth while boxing. Mike was one of the bull-dog jaw; he kept his lips
tight shut, and his small eyes twinkled with every appearance of rage.

On the first round, the great experience of the pugilist enabled him to
land one or two heavy jolts, and when the gong sounded the time-limit,
Jim had got rather the worst of it.

The second round opened much like the first. Jim landed on Mike's under
jaw more than once; and Mike got in a body blow that was something to
think about.

It was the third round that told the tale. What chance in a fight has
forty-five against twenty-five? The extra weight of the prize fighter
was mere softness. His wind was gone; and half the time had not passed
before Jim landed under his left jaw the classic punch that Mike had one
time given him, and Mike went down like a sack of meal.

In five minutes, he was up and game, but the bout was over. The men
shook hands, and Michael, rapidly recovering his spirits, rumbled out of
his deep chest: "Bejabers, it's the first time in five years I've been
knocked out--and it was done scientific. Say, Hartigan, ye can put me
down for a member of your club; or yer church or whatever the dom thing
is an' I'll see ye get whatever ye need in the way of protection; an' if
ye want to sell any liquor on the sly, that'll be all right. You count
on Mike."

Then, with a singular clearing of hate and an access of good
feeling--psychological reactions which so often follow in the wake of a
finish fight--the men all shook hands and parted in excellent humour.

"By George!" said President Hopkins of the Board of Deacons, "I wouldn't
have missed that for a thousand dollars. It was perfectly bully--just
what we wanted! I've heard of things like this, but never really
believed they happened. It's a new side of human nature for me. I
wouldn't have missed it for--no, not for five thousand dollars."

CHAPTER LIII

The First Meeting

The notice on the old tree had been up a week. By Thursday there had
been no sign of response; on Friday Jim had had it out with the boss;
and Saturday morning the community seemed, in some subtle way, to be
greatly stirred by the coming event. Sunday afternoon there was a fairly
good assemblage of men and women in the large room of the rearranged old
house. Bow-legged Mike was not present; but the little man with the
squeaky voice--commonly kno