TWO SPOUTS; OB, OUT FOR A LARK. 233 



"Eh! vat's dot you are giving me? " said Hans, liis 

 face red with passion. " Look oud, I am cuvick dem- 

 pered. You vant to make me ankry ? You mean to 

 insinuvate dot I vas a liar ? You rascal, you owner of 

 a dug-eating dog ; you willian. Come from this mud 

 oud und I vill bound your face into a shelly, so dot 

 your own mudder vont know you, you plasted Ameri- 

 caner." 



At this time Jim could hardly hold in. He threw 

 his gun into the mud, sawed the air violently with his 

 arms, his fists clenched, and said : 



" You don't have to ask me out to meet you twice. 

 Come on ! Come on ! " And working himself into a 

 frenzy, punched forward, as if hitting an imaginary foe ; 

 then he would jump back, as if escaping a return blow. 



u What shall it be, three rounds, Marquis of Queens- 

 berry ? Or to a finish, London Prize Ring ? " 



" Every feller for himselluf, Gooseperry rules. Hit 

 me vonce ! Or do some liddle ding to make me real 

 ankry I and den I vill knock your ret head from your 

 shoulders off." 



Jim made a feint with his left, shot out his right 

 straight from the shoulder, hitting Hans a terrible blow 

 on the ear. This thoroughly aroused Hans, and like 

 an enraged bull he lowered his head, darted forward, 

 and by sheer strength, carried Jim to the earth in the 

 soft mud and rushes, landing on top. Holding 

 Jim's hands, and sitting astride of him, he exclaimed : 

 " Ah-ha ! vish your friends in the vourd vafrd could see 

 you now. Take dot ! " and suiting the action to the 

 word, he hit Jim in the face. 



" Foul ! Foul ! " yelled Jim, " you have lost the fight, 

 you hit me when I am down." 



