ther, was representing the lumber camps in the contest. Nixon looked
on approvingly for a few moments, then with a quick movement he seized
the little Highlander, swung him in his powerful arms clean off the
floor, and deposited him gently upon a beer-barrel. Then he stepped
into the centre of the room, bowed to the judges, and began a sailor's
hornpipe.

The committee were perplexed, but after deliberation they decided to
humour the new competitor, especially as they knew that Nixon with
whisky in him was unpleasant to cross.

Lightly and gracefully he went through his steps, the men crowding in
from the bar to admire, for Nixon was famed for his hornpipe. But when,
after the hornpipe, he proceeded to execute a clog-dance, garnished with
acrobatic feats, the committee interfered. There were cries of 'Put him
out!' and 'Let him alone! Go on, Nixon!' And Nixon hurled back into the
crowd two of the committee who had laid remonstrating hands upon him,
and, standing in the open centre, cried out scornfully--

'Put me out! Put me out! Certainly! Help yourselves! Don't mind me!'
Then grinding his teeth, so that I heard them across the room, he added
with savage deliberation, 'If any man lays a finger on me, I'll--I'll
eat his liver cold.'

He stood for a few moments glaring round upon the company, and then
strode toward the bar, followed by the crowd wildly yelling. The ball
was forthwith broken up. I looked around for Billy, but he was nowhere
to be seen. Graeme touched my arm--

'There's going to be something of a time, so just keep your eyes
skinned.'

'What are you going to do?' I asked.

'Do? Keep myself beautifully out of trouble,' he replied.

In a few moments the crowd came surging back headed by Nixon, who was
waving a whisky-bottle over his head and yelling as one possessed.

'Hello!' exclaimed Graeme softly, 'I begin to see. Look there!'

'What's up?' I asked.

'You see Idaho and Slavin and their pets,' he replied.

'They've got poor Nixon in tow. Idaho is rather nasty,' he added, 'but
I think I'll take a hand in this game; I've seen some of Idaho's work
before.'

The scene was one quite strange to me, and was wild beyond description.
A hundred men filled the room. Bottles were passed from hand to hand,
and men drank their fill. Behind the refreshment-tables stood the
hotelman and his barkeeper with their coats off and sleeves rolled up to
the shoulder, passing out bottles, and drawing beer and whis