ght a bottle from his saddle-bag. It began passing from
mouth to mouth. Jack Armstrong got the bottle before it was half emptied,
drained it and flung it high in the air. Another called him a hog and
grappled him around the waist and there was a desperate struggle which
ended quickly. Armstrong got a hold on the neck of his assailant and
choked him until he let go. This was not enough for the sturdy bully of
Clary's Grove. He seized his follower and flung him so roughly on the
ground that the latter lay for a moment stunned. Armstrong had got his
blood warm and was now ready for action. With a wild whoop he threw off
his coats, unbuttoned his right shirt-sleeve and rolled it to the
shoulder and declared in a loud voice, as he swung his arm in the air,
that he could "out jump, out hop, out run, throw down, drag out an' lick
any man in New Salem."

In a letter to his father Samson writes:

* * * * *

"Abe was working at my elbow. I saw him drop his hammer and get up and
make for the ladder. I knew something was going to happen and I followed
him. In a minute every one was off the roof and out of the building. I
guess they knew what was coming. The big lad stood there swinging his arm
and yelling like an Injun. It was a big arm and muscled and corded up
some but I guess if I'd shoved the calico off mine and held it up he'd a
pulled down his sleeve. I suppose the feller's arm had a kind of a mule's
kick in it, but, good gracious! If he'd a seen as many arms as you an' I
have that have growed up on a hickory helve he'd a known that his was
nothing to brag of. I didn't know just how good a man Abe was and I was
kind o' scairt for a minute. I never found it so hard work to do nothin'
as I did then. Honest my hands kind o' ached. I wanted to go an' cuff
that feller's ears an' grab hold o' him an' toss him over the ridge pole.
Abe went right up to him an' said:

"'Jack, you ain't half so bad or half so cordy as ye think ye are. You
say you can throw down any man here. I reckon I'll have to show ye that
you're mistaken. I'll rassle with ye. We're friends an' we won't talk
about lickin' each other. Le's have a friendly rassle.'

"In a second the two men were locked together. Armstrong had lunged at
Abe with a yell. There was no friendship in the way he took hold. He was
going to do all the damage he could in any way he could. He tried to butt
with his head and ram his knee into Abe's stomach as s