Cinder Path Tales

AND EVERY ONE A WINNER 193 but one bout, instead of three as advertised, and at Paddy's speech there was deafening applause. I did my best to dissuade him, as did Tom Furness as well; but Jim took up the plan with enthusiasm, and despite our pro­ tests the three " devil-may-cares" crowded along the aisle, and disappeared through a little door under thegallery, which led to the stage. A few moments later they filed on, all three withtheir coats off, stepped through the ropes, and Paddy took his seat in the chair facing Johnson, hisred face wreathed in smiles, and his sleeves rolled up to the elbows, Jim and Harry going to work in a very business-like manner to prepare forthe contest. Now, all this was great fun for the audience, the manager, and even Johnson himself, who grinned back at Paddy, show­ ing a long row of white teeth. It took no expert to see that the Irishman was dead easy, and there were the anticipated windmill swings, and abortive efforts to hit on his part, and a scientific exhibition from John­ son, with a knock-out to follow. Tom and I expected nothing better,unless Johnson should be careless enough to let Paddy hit him once, in which casehe might be treated to a surpriseparty, forPat had an arm like a gorilla, anda fist as big as a small