The Third String: Odd Craft, Part 12.Jacobs, W. W. (William Wymark)
General
The Third String: Odd Craft, Part 12.
Jacobs, W. W. (William Wymark)
England -- Social life and customs -- Fiction; Humorous stories, English; Sailors -- Fiction
They turned down some little streets, several of 'em going diff'rent
ways, and arter crossing the River Lea got on to the marshes, and, as the
landlord said, the place might ha' been made for it.
A little chap from Mile End was the referee, and Bill Lumm, 'aving
peeled, stood looking on while Ginger took 'is things off and slowly and
carefully folded 'em up. Then they stepped toward each other, Bill
taking longer steps than Ginger, and shook 'ands; immediately arter which
Bill knocked Ginger head over 'eels.
[Illustration: "Bill Lumm, 'aving peeled, stood looking on while Ginger
took 'is things off."]
"Time!" was called, and the landlord o' the Jolly Pilots, who was nursing
Ginger on 'is knee, said that it was nothing at all, and that bleeding at
the nose was a sign of 'ealth. But as it happened Ginger was that mad 'e
didn't want any encouragement, he on'y wanted to kill Bill Lumm.
He got two or three taps in the next round which made his 'ead ring, and
then he got 'ome on the mark and follered it up by a left-'anded punch on
Bill's jaw that surprised 'em both--Bill because he didn't think Ginger
could hit so 'ard, and Ginger because 'e didn't think that prize-fighters
'ad any feelings.
They clinched and fell that round, and the land-lord patted Ginger on the
back and said that if he ever 'ad a son he 'oped he'd grow up like 'im.
Ginger was surprised at the way 'e was getting on, and so was old Sam and
Peter Russet, and when Ginger knocked Bill down in the sixth round Sam
went as pale as death. Ginger was getting marked all over, but he stuck,
to 'is man, and the two dock policemen, wot 'ad put their money on Bill
Lumm, began to talk of their dooty, and say as 'ow the fight ought to be
stopped.
At the tenth round Bill couldn't see out of 'is eyes, and kept wasting
'is strength on the empty air, and once on the referee. Ginger watched
'is opportunity, and at last, with a terrific smash on the point o'
Bill's jaw, knocked 'im down and then looked round for the landlord's
knee.
Bill made a game try to get up when "Time!" was called, but couldn't;
and the referee, who was 'olding a 'andkerchief to 'is nose, gave the
fight to Ginger.
It was the proudest moment o' Ginger Dick's life. He sat there like a
king, smiling 'orribly, and Sam's voice as he paid 'is losings sounded to
'im like music, in spite o' the words the old man see fit to use. It was
so 'ard to get Peter Russet's money that it a'most looked as though there
was going to be another prize-fight, but 'e paid up at last and went off,
arter fust telling Ginger part of wot he thought of 'im.
There was a lot o' quarrelling, but the bets was all settled at last, and
the landlord o' the Jolly Pilots, who was in 'igh feather with the money
he'd won, gave Ginger the five pounds he'd promised and took him 'ome in
a cab.
"You done well, my lad," he ses. "No, don't smile. It looks as though
your 'ead's coming off."
"I 'ope you'll tell Miss Tucker 'ow I fought," ses Ginger.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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