Beadle's Dime Library No. 211 — page 26: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

26 bad acquired in his travels a passion for box- ing, and had vanquished every amateur he had met in Europe. At first the Club was inclined to put up Jack June against the prince, who bore the significant name of Nockstiffsky, but as soon as Jack saw the Ru-sian he bad pleaded want of condition and fifty pounds of fat too much, while thé stranger was a thin, rawb: ued fellow, with a pair of cruel black eyes that looked as if their owner delighted tn “ slogging.” So, in desperation fez the crevit of the club, Mr. St. John had bethougbt bimself of the latest addition, in the person of Fiank Noble, who was game for any thing, and bad written the note which brought our hero to the club that night. When Frank came to the rooms, he found a Se to “cometo time,” large crowd of his friends assembled, and the | buzz of conversation announced that betting was going on, for the gentlemen of the Ténnis Club were always ready to back their opinions on any subject of sport whatever, The young man came in with Colonel Plon- ger, in precise black, the gray mustache and | gleaming glasses of the veteran looking out of ° place in the midst of the burly young men around bim. Frank was greeted with boisterous glee, and | his friends commenced to question him as to | his condition, and to give him all sorts of ad- vice as to his encounter with the Russian nobleman, who was said, by those who had seen him, to be: “A confounded ‘well-made fellow; wicked, too.” looks | _ looked like a lady’s, and he stood as tall as Jack | | Colonel Plunger. forward; head-first, on the hard floor, with a crash. Those who were near had seen the colonel stoop down an instant and lift the boxer under my’s ribs, and sent big Jack June sprawling on | the thighs, taking him off his feet by surprise the floor, with an irrepressible grunt of pain. and cracking his skull on the hard floor with a The colonel had struck him on the edge of | force that would have killed most men, but the diaphragm, known to the boxing fraternity | which only knocked the boxer senseless. as the ‘‘ wind,” and had knocked the breath all And the colonel had not struck him a single out of him, so that Jack was not only unable | blow, nor bad the boxer had a chance to de- but bad to be taken to a_| liver oue. dressing-room, where he vomited freely before | Fora moment there was a dead silence in he could go home. the room, and then a tremendous cheer burst The Tennis Club was astounded; and in the | forth, while the’ young men came crowding midst of its mortification in came Crooke, the | round the veteran, shaking his hand, hugging well-known Boss Better, with the tall and im- | him, wild-witb joy that the credit of the elub posing figure of Prince Nockstiffsky leaning on | was saved. his arm. ‘* We'll vote you in an honorary member, A thrill of fear ran through the club. | by Jove!” cried Kettleton, enthusiastically. Frank Noble was admittedly a finely-built | * Only tell us how you did the trick. I don’t young man, but the Russian was perfection. understand it.” His shoulders were so square that ‘his waist The colonel laugbed. “My dear sare, shall I show you? Dere is not’ing like experience.” ‘No, thank you.’ And there was a general laugh as Kettleton started back, thinking the colonel in earnest. Then the veteran looked round and said, in his polit’, grave way: ‘‘Messieurs, I tell you von ting: “You must neatly, oan a simple step to one side, that the room rung with applause. — A moment later the veteran dashed in, gave a spring in the air, landed both feet in his ene- June, while not an ounce of fat was on his | frame, and his hard, bony face looked that of aman who could fight all day and night. Every one began to compare him with ‘‘The Russian’s too much for him.” The stranger had a fierce black mustache and was as dark as an Indian. He seemed to | not be too ready to trust de foreigner. » De be rather bashful than otherwise, and only | Russian do not box. He fence. To fight a bowed and muttere! some Russien words in | boxaire vid de glove is foolish. It is to take | Frank, and to say to the rest: | ‘Has de gentleman come yet?” asked the | colonel, sweetly. se No, ” returned the person addressed, who | was none other than Jack June, big and burly | ging. Tell your friend to play light. ” as ever, with an overbearing smile, **he’ll ba here at pice Isay, Noble, who’s your friend? | Introduce me.” Noble did as requested, and Jack said: | ‘Happy to see you, colonel. Heard a good | deal of you at Squantum Bay Races. Call you the Unknown Sport already. I say, you Frenchman, don’t spar, do you? Stick to the foils, eh?’ “Sometinie, sare. Sometime dey try de sabre, de iance, de baionette, de savatte. You know de savatte, sare?’ “ Tue savatte. Oh yes, that’s the kickisg business,” returned Jack, scornfully. ‘‘ Don't believe in 1t. All humbug. Bet I can lick any fellow that tries it. Do you know the savatte, colonel?” He looked so overbearing that it was evident the colonel was, in his eyes, a safe butt to poke fun at. To the astonishment of the young men all round, the colonel answered: ‘Il am professeur du savatte, monsieur, at your service. How much you bet I do not put you on dis floor to-night, if you like?’ Jack’s eyes sparkled as he answered: “What you like! Here’s fun, boys.” “Den suppose ve say five thousand, sare,” said the colonel, calmly, producing his pocket- book. “ Monsieur Noble hold de stake for us.” Jack’s countenance fell. ‘Can't goso much, Try you five hundred. It’s all I’ve got to-night.” ‘So be it, sare; bere ismy monie.” And Jack, who was not a millionaire, had to go down into his pockets and try all bis friends, before he could get up the stakes. When be had done so and stripped, the con- trast between him and bis slender antagonist was marked. ‘Jack stood six feet two in his stockings and weighed two hundred and thirty, while the colonel was three inches shorter, and looked like a pigmy to June. Both men had stripped to their trowsers and undershirts, and both were in their stocking feet, while it was understood that either might do what be chose, so long as he did not take off the gloves. “ Jack’s got a pudding,” whispered Mr. St. Jehn to Courtland, who stood by. ‘“ He'll eat that Frenchman up.” “{ don’t know that,” returned Courtland, thoughtfully. -‘“‘The colonel looks as if he knew his business, too.” In fact, the veteran was standing just out of reach of his gigantic opponent, with a confi- dent smile on his face, his hands down by bis hips, while Jack was sparring cautiously for an opening. Presently the big man made a rush for the . little one, trying to beat down his guard by main strength, and the colonel evaded it. so | ee him vere he vant to go. To try bim vid trick _ he do not understand is de only vay. I vould / not try dat same trick vid dat man again. He vould know it. See, he coms to. Now you get de police, or dere vill be trouble. Vere is Monsieur Crooke éat brought him?” But Crooke had vanished, and was no more seen that night, while Riley, as he was escorted to the door by a mob of young men armed with Indian clubs, had turned as meek as Moses, and only remarked as he went down stairs: “T knowed he was a deceivin’ old coon, but I didn’t reckon on that. Why, it’s a foul trick, that’s: what it is, and T’ll be even with him yet fur it.” The colunel heard him, but made no reply, and peace reigned over the Tennis Club once more, while a weeting was hastily called to order, and Colonel Plunger elected an honor- ary member forchwith, He took the compliment very quietly, and soon made an excuse to go home with Frank Noble, to whom he said, as soon as they were alone: ‘* My friend, you must be careful now. Dat Crooke, he mean mischief. To-morrow he be on de course, and vill banter you to bet, So far we have got de best of him, and you have not lost money. «Now he vill try to recover his ground by one grand stroke. You must not bet vid him. ‘You have seen bim expose as a sharper in de club, and you mast not bet vid him.” ‘* But who will, colonel?” “E wills ag have long score to settle vid dat man. I settle it to-morrow forever.” CHAPTER XXVILI. BEFORE THE RACE. ONCE more we are on the race-course, which is throniged as it never was thronged before, to witness the closiug day of a most successful meeting. The event of the day to which every one was looking forward with most interest was the four-mile race; for Americans take a special pride in this species of contest, which reminds them of their most famous horses of old times, and belongs to their own country as. much as the Derby does to England. Governor Bloodgood, stately and white- haired, was to be seen on that day on the members’ stand, in the midst of a group of friends who had backed Ambition for the race; and the Governor was 80 elated with the praises bestowed on his horse and himself by people who bad hitherto been inclined to view him as a deluded old victim to abler turf operators, that he began to put on knowing airs about horses, and even to think seriously about breaking his resolution never to bet money on a horse race. For the day the coin mania was set aside for- the turf mania with him, and he was so carried away by it, that he greeted Frank Noble as soon as he saw him, with the astounding h, from the mouth of such a man: “Mr, Noble, you can back Ambition to-dayr answer to the introduciions snowered on him, while Crocke proceeded to his business at once with St. Jobn. Come, !’ve brought my friend. - your man, Noble?’ “ He’s ready. But I say, Crooke, no slog- Where’s Tf the club’s afraid Where's the “He never plays light. it?s always easy to back down. illustrious Jack Juve?’ ** Home, sick.” ‘* Well, then, the sooner you tell Noble to get ready, the better the prince will like it.” ‘Excuse me, sare,’ here put in the bland voice of the colonel, who came up and stood beside them still in his shirt sleeves, ‘‘ but do I understand you claim dat maa to be a Russian prince?’ ‘*Of course,” returned Crooke, hastily. The colonel turned to the crowd and cried: ‘ Messieurs, you are deceived. Have you no eyes? Dat manis noprince. ft is Riley, de boxaire, disguise. Dat isnot his mustache, I | show you.” And before any one could divine his inten- tion he suddenly cast one of the gloves he held in his hand so sharp and true that he knocked the false mustache off Riley’s lip and exposed the well-known features of that boxer. The next minute tbere was a chorus of: ‘‘Shame! shame! Put him out!” But no one advanced to execute the threat on the renowned boxer, who seemed to be in his element now, as be louked round him and stripped cff his upper clothing in a moment. ‘* Pat me out, will yer?’ he roared, and as he spoke a ring cleared round him as if by magic. ‘Let's ses the man to doit. Ill clean out yer whole club if a man tries to hit me.” And there was something grand in the big boxer as he stood there, inthe pride of his strength, defying a hundred athletes. Then out of the press rushed Frank, with the boxing-gloves on, and cried: ‘* Russian or not, Pll spar him for the honor of the Tennis Club.” Riley turned good-humored instantly. ‘‘ Hooray for you, young feller,” he cried. * Yowre grit, you are, and you’re my mutton. Give us the gloves, gents. 1 don’t want to hit the pore cuss; with my fist.” In a moment the colonel was out by Frank, and cried out earnestly: “Don’t do it, boy. He'll kill you. He wants to doit. Here, Riley, you, I'l) fight you for the club as we stand, bare-fisted and rough- and -tumble.” There was an instant yell of applause. These high-toned young men were getting drunk with excitement and eager for blood, while the prize fighter roared: “ Allright. Toke keer of yourself, for here comes Tom Riley.” The next moment he rushed at the colonel, who dodged under and behind him in the midst of the crowd, and Riley missed his mark, Another moment, and the gigantic form of the boxer was seen to rise in the air and pitch ‘ Seen com eEhoo (E(0) S