ated to a glass of something stronger
than water. He was not tipsy, he was only elevated, but the elevation
roused his ire to such an extent that he began to boast loudly that he
could fight _any_ one, and flourished his sticks or kerries in a defiant
manner. Kafirs always fight with two sticks, one to hit with, the other
to guard.

A trader from the Green Isle chanced to pass this man, and to be jostled
by him. Every one knows of the world's opinion of the Irishman's love
for fighting. Pat became nettled.

"Arrah!" says he, "yer mighty fond o' swagger, but I'll tache you
manners, you black baste! Come on!"

The big Kafir came on at once, and made a blow at Pat's head with his
knob-kerrie that would have ended the fight at once if it had taken
effect, but the Irishman, well trained in the art, guarded it neatly,
and returned with a blow so swift and vigorous that it fell on the pate
of the savage like a flail. As well might Pat have hit a rock. If
there is a strong point about a black man, it is his head. The Irish
man knew this, but had forgotten it in the first flush of combat. He
became wiser. Meanwhile a crowd of excited traders and Kafirs gathered
round the combatants and backed them.

The Kafir made another wild swoop at his enemy's skull, but the blow was
easily turned aside. Pat returned with a feint at his foe's head, but
came down with terrible force on the inside of his right knee. The
Kafir dropped his sticks, seized his knee with both hands, stood on one
leg, and howled in agony.

Scorning to strike a defenceless foe, Paddy gave him a dab on the end of
his already flat nose, by way of reminding him that he was off his
guard. The Kafir took the hint, caught up his sticks and sprang at his
opponent with the yell of a hyena, whirling aloft both sticks at once.
The Irishman had to leap aside, and, as he did so, drew from the Kafir a
shriek of pain by hitting him sharply on the left shin, adding to the
effect immediately by a whack under the right eye that might have
finished an average ox. The Kafir fell, more, however, because of the
pain of the double blow, than because of its force, for he rolled about
bellowing for a few seconds. Then, jumping up, he renewed the fight.
There is no saying how long it might have lasted had not a party of
troops chanced to pass just then, who separated the combatants and
dispersed the crowd.

The "fair," however, was made use of not only as an occasion fo