Mr. Green thought this a capital idea. The fun continued until Ben finally climaxed it all by persuading Green to hire a band and get aboard the train for Oil City. While the band was playing and the crowd staring, and Mr. Green showing what a great man he was, Ben quietly got off the cars, and the train went on without him. So did Mr. Green and his band. The former sent a telegram back to Petroleum City, and Hogan replied that he would be on in the next train; but having got his clothes and hat, and a fair sum of money, he permitted Mr. Green to depart in his glory.
It was a pity that there were not more Greens, for, had there been, our hero might have lived like a prince, without troubling himself to work. As it was, however, Ben began to look about for some means of raising the wherewithal to bring Allen to a fight.
Gus Rigl promised him half his place, but this promise turned out of no account. Then Ben joined with John Sweeney and started out, giving sparring exhibitions. They visited Oil City, Petroleum Centre, Titusville, Cora, Rouseville, and met everywhere with encouraging success.
This gave Ben enough of a lift to warrant the opening of a place in Titusville, with Jerry O’Brien—which he did.
Having by this time raised a sufficient sum of money, Ben determined to carry out his original project, and challenge Tom Allen to a fight. Such a challenge was written out and sent to the New York Clipper, accompanied by one hundred dollars’ forfeit. Allen’s reply, which appeared in the same journal, stated that he had already matches arranged with McCool and Gallagher; that he was in training for these, and that he did not care to enter into any third match. He therefore refused to accept Ben’s challenge.
It may be well to add in this connection, since there has been so much said and written about the meetings between Allen and Hogan, that Ben had no knowledge of Allen’s intention to fight either Gallagher or McCool at this time, and that he was perfectly sincere in his desire to bring about a fight. The challenge was not made for the sake of bluster, but simply to decide which was the better man. As we shall see further on, a meeting was finally arranged between the two men, and at that time Ben showed that he was by no means afraid of Allen’s fists.
CHAPTER XII.
Ben in St. Louis—First Entree into Parker’s Landing—Opens a Free-and-Easy—Trouble with the Authorities.