The Broad Highway

"I'd like," repeated Cragg, "ah! I'd like to see the cove as

says contrairy."

"No one ain't a-goin' to, Tom," said the one-eyed man soothingly,

"not a soul, Lord bless you!"

"I only wish they would," growled Cragg.

"Ain't there nobody to obleege the gentleman?" inquired the

red-headed man.

"I'd fight any man as ever was born--wish I may die!" snorted Cragg.

"You always was so fiery, Tom!" purred the one-eyed man, blinking

his pale orb.

"I were," cried the prizefighter, working himself into another

rage, "ah! an' I'm proud of it. I'd fight any man as ever wore

breeches--why, burn me! I'd give any man ten shillin' as could

stand up to me for ten minutes."

"Ten shillings!" said I to myself, "ten shillings, when one comes

to think of it, is a very handsome sum--more especially when one

is penniless and destitute!"

"Wish I may die!" roared Cragg, smiting his fist down on the table

again, "a guinea--a golden guinea to the man as could stand on 'is

pins an' fight me for five minutes--an' as for Buck Vibart--curse

'im, I say as 'e won on a foul!"

"A guinea," said I to myself, "is a fortune!" And, setting down

my empty tankard, I crossed the room and touched Cragg upon the

shoulder.

"I will fight you," said I, "for a guinea."

Now, as the fellow's eyes met mine, he rose up out of his chair and

his mouth opened slowly, but he spoke no word, backing from me

until he was stayed by the table, where he stood, staring at me.

And once again there fell a silence, in which I heard the tick of

the clock in the corner and the crackle of the logs upon the hearth.

"You?" said he, recovering himself with an effort, "you?" and, as

he spoke, I saw his left eyelid twitch suddenly.

"Exactly," I answered, "I think I can stand up to even you--for

five minutes." Now, as I spoke, he winked at me again. That it

was meant for me was certain, seeing that his back was towards

the others, though what he intended to convey I could form no

idea, so I assumed as confident an air as possible and waited.

Hereupon the one-eyed man broke into a sudden raucous laugh, in

which the others joined.

"'Ark to 'im, lads," he cried, pointing to me with the stern of his

pipe, "'e be a fine un to stand up to Tom Cragg--I don't think."