232 WAYFARING NOTIONS 



" Aye," replied No. i ; " him as was bookmaking. 

 He won't be making no more books yet awhile." 

 This fielder, so it appeared, attracted my party's 

 attention by the liberality of his odds. No. i 

 was tempted, but refrained. Being a man of 

 shrewdness, he objected to being given "aught," 

 as he would with 5 to i offered on the field and 

 two 3 to I favourites well backed, and the fielder's 

 " being too close to the rails and all." So it 

 appeared he didn't deal, but sought profit another 

 way. *' Us'll wait here," he instructed his pals ; 

 ''happen we'll see some fun." And they did so. 

 At the psychological moment the bookie as was 

 did the North-Country equivalent for a "guy." 

 *' Off comes hat, on goes cap, under rail he ducks, 

 and walks off, bold as bull beef, with chaps' brass 

 and all, and was getting clear when little collier 

 chap spots him and starts with stick on to his 

 yed." Then the fun was supposed to begin — at 

 least, the real legitimate entertainment did directly 

 afterwards, when ''little collier chap's" repeated 

 efforts " wi' stick " brought the sportsman to the 

 ground, and the punching period set in with great 

 severity. You could hear them punching his 

 head yards off till he couldn't halloa. Lots who 

 had nothing to do with it crowded in and punched 

 him on the head as he lay on the ground. So 

 said my barber's-shop recorder. Forgetting what 

 Mr Joe Topping, of Leigh, told me about Lanca- 

 shire collier fighting — punching in catch-as-catch- 

 can, go-as-you-please, up-and-down, till one gives 

 in, with no seconds, no time, no rules except beat 

 or be beaten — I asked how such a lot might get 

 at the prostrate welsher to be able to hit him 

 with their fists — the answer was, " I didn't say 

 punching with fists, I meant feet " ; and at first 



