148 THE ITINERANT HORSE PHYSICIAN 



Now everything is set ; the contestants agree to 

 fight clean, no hitting in the clinches. I impress 

 on them the fact that I am not going in there to 

 wrestle with them in the clinches, that when I call 

 4 'break" they are to turn loose their hold; that I 

 am going to referee this little tilt as though it 

 were for the championship of the world and that 

 I won't stand for any foolishness. 



I then introduced them in the ring, and stated 

 "officially" to the audience what the terms were, 

 that if the cowpuncher was on his feet at the end 

 of the fifth the Frenchy was the loser. The only 

 chance the Frenchman had to win was to knock 

 the cowpuncher cold. 



I then made them shake hands, and "turned 

 them loose." 



And of all the fights I ever saw, that was the 

 cleanest, fairest exhibition of skill and hard- 

 hitting I ever saw ! 



The cowpuncher was speed personified ; and he 

 could take more punishment than a mule. And he 

 made the Frenchman grunt every time he landed 

 on him. The Frenchy was a cool, methodical 

 slugger, and I am sure was a very dangerous 

 opponent over a longer route. In less than three 

 rounds, however, the cowpuncher had him looking 

 like a steam roller had dragged him over a rail- 

 road bridge ; he could not bend him though. Once 

 he was down on one knee, but he covered up and 

 came back strong. 



At no time was the cowpuncher in danger of 

 being knocked out, although I don't believe that 

 any other small man could stand up under some 



