“Ridiculous,” I answered. “Ted, you’re too smart to be fooled that way. Louis is the champion, and if you defeat Louis you’ll have realized your ambitions. If you have already signed, then I won’t dicker with you any longer. I don’t want to be a party to a broken agreement. Though my sympathy is with Schmeling, who got a raw deal, we can’t get away from facts—Louis is the world titleholder.” “I have no contract,” replied Broadribb. “Hull has an option on our services but unless he can get Schmeling and he meets the terms upon which the tentative arrangements have been made, there’ll be no fight with Schmeling.” “What are the terms?” I asked Ted. “He has offered Farr $30,000, and will advertise the bout for the championship and the fight must take place in London.” “How would you like to get double that sum, Ted?” I asked. “Do you mean that, Nat?” he inquired in surprise. “Yes, Ted,” I said. “Mike Jacobs is sitting here with me, and Mike told me to offer you double any sum you’ve been offered, if you have not signed yet. If you have, he says to call everything off.” Broadribb could scarcely speak. His voice quivered as he asked me to let the matter ride for another day. “I’d like to say yes, Nat,” he told me, “but I’m honor-bound to protect Hulls and General Critchley, and unless they fail to do what they have promised, I’m afraid I’ll have to say no until after Farr beats Schmeling which I tell you he’ll surely do.” “That’ll be too late, Ted,” I answered. With that, we said good-night, and I waited for two more days before I again heard from Broadribb. This time he called me. “Nat,” he said, “Hulls has violated our agreement. He was sworn to secrecy on the amount he was to pay Farr for Schmeling, but instead he has given out the story telling what Farr is to get, and that has riled Tommy. I don’t blame him. He’s raising havoc here, saying he’s worth every penny as much as the German, and not, as Hulls announced, half as much. I’ve told Hulls it’s all off. I’m ready to take on Louis for Mike if you say I should.” Jacobs was again at my side, and I told him the news. “Clinch the match!” he said. “You’ll share in my promotion.” And I closed the fight for Mike. I informed Broadribb that we would give Farr $60,000 guarantee, four round trip tickets, and 25 per cent of the movie and radio rights. That news flabbergasted the British manager, who remarked: “You mean that, Nat? That’s wonderful. Regard it as a deal. The bout is on. I’ll let you handle all matters for me. Tell Mr. Jacobs that he should cable the money for the tickets as soon as I notify him.”