"No," answered Black George, motioning the onlookers to stand back, "I've got th' 'ammer, and I'll throw first." Now, as probably every one knows, it is one thing to swing a sledge-hammer in the ordinary way but quite another to throw it any distance, for there is required, beside the bodily strength, a certain amount of knowledge, without which a man is necessarily handicapped. Thus, despite my opponent's great strength of arm, I was fairly sanguine of the result. Black George took a fresh grip upon the hammer-shaft, twirled it lightly above his head, swung it once, twice, thrice—and let it go. With a shout, Job and two or three others ran down the road to mark where it had fallen, and presently returned, pacing out the distance. "Fifty-nine!" they announced. "Can 'ee beat that?" inquired Black George complacently. "I think I can," I answered as, taking up the hammer, I, in turn, stepped into the ring. Gripping the shaft firmly, I whirled it aloft, and began to swing it swifter and swifter, gaining greater impetus every moment, till, like a flash, it flew from my grasp. Panting, I watched it rise, rise, rise, and then plunge down to earth in a smother of dust. "'E've beat it!" cried the Ancient, flourishing his stick excitedly. "Lord love me, 'e've beat it!" "Ay, 'e've beat it, sure-ly," said a man who carried a rake that was forever getting in everybody's way. "An' by a goodish bit to!" shouted another. "Ah! but Jarge aren't got 'is arm in yet," retorted a third; "Jarge can do better nor that by a long sight!" But now all voices were hushed as Job paced up. "Eighty-two!" he announced. Black George looked hard at me, but, without speaking, stepped sulkily into the ring, moistened his palms, looked at me again, and seizing the hammer, began to whirl it as he had seen me. Round and round it went, faster and faster, till, with a sudden lurch, he hurled it up and away. Indeed it was a mighty throw! Straight and strong it flew, describing a wide parabola ere it thudded into the road. The excitement now waxed high, and many started off to measure the distance for themselves, shouting one to another as they went. As for the smith, he stood beside me, whistling, and I saw that the twinkle was back in his eyes again. "One hunner and twenty!" cried half-a-dozen voices. "And a half," corrected Job, thrusting the hammer into my hand, and grinning. "Can 'ee beat that?" inquired Black George again. "Ay, can 'ee beat that?" echoed the crowd. "It was a marvellous throw!" said I, shaking my head. And indeed, in my heart I knew I could never hope to equal, much less beat, such a mighty cast. I therefore decided on strategy, and, with this in mind, proceeded, in a leisurely fashion, once more to mark out the circle, which was obliterated in places, to flatten the surface underfoot, to roll up my sleeves, and tighten my belt; in fine, I observed all such precautions as a man might be expected to take before some supreme effort.