FLUSHED. 343 



it in Wittsburg, and, moren' that, if you don't like the 

 brandy, he's here himself, and he can whip it out of 

 you in less than no time, and will do it, too, if you say 



so." 



This was what might be called a "knock-down 

 and drag-out argument ;" and as I did not doubt Mat's 

 ability and willingness to do it, I hastened to apolo- 

 gize. It took some time to molify the dame ; but 

 after awhile I succeeded, and was able to turn my at- 

 tention again to the preparation for the race. Mat 

 and the Sheriff were mounted upon their respective 

 horses, some hundred yards apart, and communicated 

 with each other by means of ambassadors. Their 

 intercourse, free enough before, was immediately 

 stopped when they arrived upon the ground ; and, like 

 opposing generals arranging the details of a truce, 

 each had taken his station, surrounded by his staff, 

 and communicated with each other, or with the dif- 

 ferent bodies under his command, only by means of 

 aids. These important individuals were careering 

 wildly over the grounds, bearing messages to every 

 part of the field, while, occasionally, after a close and 

 eager consultation among those composing one or 

 other of the principal groups, some one would pace 

 forward at a more dignified gait, charged with some 

 communication for the opposite party. 



Foremost among the supporters of the Sheriff, I 

 noticed his deputy and a tall, thin, straight man in a 

 red shirt, while Mat had for his "Bowers," a short and 

 dirty little man, whose name I did not learn, and a 

 larger specimen of the "genus homo," who rejoiced in 

 the peculiar and appropriate cognomen of "Rip." 

 Each and every one of these four evidently considered 

 himself as second in importance only to the owners 



