56 Captain Dahher. 



Things at last came to a full stop at the farm, for one 

 fine day those eminent pugilists, the Whitechapel Wonder 

 and Curly Bob, with a select horde of ruffians, appearing 

 in the neighbourhood with a view to settling their little 

 differences by an appeal to their fists, and casting about 

 for a convenient spot to bring off their little mill, sud- 

 denly came across that scamp Charlie, who happened to 

 be shooting partridges in a turnip-field next the road ; 

 he, quickly seeing how matters stood, forthwith invited 

 them to make any use of his land they thought proper, 

 and accordingly, taking him at his word, the whole lot of 

 them marched into his eighteen-acre grass field, and 

 fixed the ropes and stakes without more ado, kindly 

 giving their host, in return, a seat in the inner ring free, 

 gratis, for nothing. It was a capital fight, and the White- 

 chapel Wonder quite put all his previous performances in 

 the shade, for, getting his opponent on the ropes in the 

 last round, he half killed him before he let him go. 

 Though pleasant while it lasted, Charlie found it in the 

 long run rather an expensive day's work, for, besides 

 losing fifty pounds on the fight, the mob broke into his 

 house, and walked off with everything they could lay 

 hands on, and finished up by playfully setting light to all 

 the ricks in his stackyard (not insured). To make 

 matters worse, as he lay tossing in bed at eleven o'clock the 

 next morning with a rattling headache, who should send 

 up his card but his infuriated landlord, who, being an 

 active magistrate, was naturally indignant at such goings 

 on. High words ensued, the worthy beak telling 

 Master Charlie that he would not allow such a young 

 blackguard as he was to remain tenant of a farm of his 

 any longer ; Charlie, in return, requesting his landlord to 



