Did you ever Drive a Jibber down to a Fight ? 269 



get at the bottom of the mystery, which his answer soh^ed at once, 

 ''Because I'm Bungaree." 



Here was a piece of luck ! Chance had brought me to the 

 Austrahan's head-quarters : and, notwithstanding the trick which 

 the Capten had served me, I was now in a better position than him- 

 self, for I was comfortably under shelter by the side of a good fire 

 (no bad thing even in England on a day towards the end of 

 October), in company with one of the principal actors in the day's 

 performance, while he was standing on that bleak common^ — no 

 doubt, fuming and fretting at the non-appearance of the Australian. 



Presently Dick Curtis came in. Now Dick had been my preceptor 

 in the '^ noble art" of self-defence, and, of course, I knew him well. 

 He was going to second Bungaree, of whom, however, he did not 

 appear to think much. He whispered to me to buy one of his 

 colours, as it would encourage him 5 and this I willingly did, 

 especially as I was about to have the honour of escorting him to the 

 ring — and, moreover, I determined now to back him for all the 

 money I had about me. 



Soon after we all left the house. The landlord's four-wheeler 

 was as accommodating as a patent portmanteau, for it managed 

 to stow away seven of us, with a little squeezing. We all sported 

 the flaming yellow-and -white, and our carriage must almost have 

 resembled a huge moving bed of full-blown crocuses. 



We were soon at the ring, and we pulled up amid a perfect hurri- 

 cane of abuse and rough language from the mob, who had for the 

 last hour been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Australian, 

 whom they began to fear would not dare to show. In fact, even 

 bets had been laid tliat there would be no fight. The backers of 

 the black, and their name appeared to be legion — for I saw very 

 few " crocuses" sported round that ring-side — talked of claiming 

 forfeit J but Mr. Curtis knew a trick worth two of that, so merely 

 referred them to the articles — and, quickly pushing his way through 

 the excited mob, the Australian tossed his cap into the ring, and 

 followed it himself, attended by his seconds. 



I soon met the Capten, in company with two or three friends, all 

 sporting the black man's colours. I knew he was a pretty cool 



