During this interval, too, Ben Caunt had not been idle. He had beaten Brassey on the 27th of October, 1840, after a long, clumsy tussle of 101 rounds in an hour and a half, as may be read in the memoir of CAUNT. He had also lost a fight with Nick Ward, by being provoked to a foul blow, and then beaten the same shifty pug. in May, 1841, thereafter departing on a tour to America, after the fashion of other modern champions. “Time and the hour wore on;” Bendy’s knee strengthened, and Big Ben returned from Yankeeshire, bringing with him, from the land of “big things,” the biggest so-called boxer that ever sported buff in the P.R., in the person of Charles Freeman, weighing 18st., and standing 6ft. 10½in. in his stocking feet. Freeman’s brief career will be found in an Appendix to that of his only antagonist WILLIAM PERRY, the Tipton Slasher. At the close of 1843 Bendigo once again disputed the now established claim of Caunt to the proud title of Champion of England, when Brassey also offered himself to Bendigo’s notice. The Bradford Champion, however, does not seem to have had moneyed backers, and the business hung fire. On the 14th February, 1844, we find the following:―― VALENTINE FROM BENDIGO TO BRASSEY. Many happy returns of the Spring, bouncing Brassey, I hope Fortune gives you no cause to complain, That you’re right as a trivet, determined and saucy, And ready for mischief with Bendy again. May I never again take a sip of blue ruin If I love to see fair English fighting take wing; ’Tis time for the “big ’uns” to up and be doing, For bantam cocks only show now in the Ring. Then again for the laurel crown let us be tugging, May fair play be always our motto and plan! But Caunt I denounce, and his system of hugging, A practice more fit for a bear than a man. As to Freeman, the giant――I don’t mean offending―― His bulk and his weight may astonish the raw, But when with Bill Perry, the Slasher, contending, I’m bless’d if he showed any point worth a straw. Of falsehood I scorn the unclean manufacture, My luck with good men always forward to try; And but for my knee-pan’s unfortunate fracture With the Yankee I wouldn’t have shrunk from a shy. Then, Brassey, come out if you truly mean milling, And drop down your dust for a match if you dare, And you’ll find Billy Bendigo ready and willing To give you a sample of Nottingham ware. I’m anxious, bold Brassey, again to be busy, And face a good fellow, true-hearted and tough; And I’d cheerfully draw from my cly my last tizzy To see two game pugilists stripp’d to the buff. But here I conclude, for my time’s up for starting, And conscience is giving a sort of a shove; But I just drop a hint, my good fellow, at parting,―― If you can’t raise the needful, I’ll fight you for love.