The surprise, the gratification were so great, I could have cried out to him like a silly girl.
The young gamekeeper grinned, incredulous and sarcastic.
“You think not?” said Mr. Sant. “Well, I’ll tell you what I’m going to do—I’m going to back my man to whop you by-and-by.”
The boy looked up at him, breathless now.
“You’ve all the advantage at present, you know,” went on the clergyman. “You’ve got constitution, muscle, and a little of the science—not so much as you think, but still a little. Now Master Bowen isn’t your equal in any of these, as I suspect you knew, or you wouldn’t have attacked him.”
“I would!” said the boy, furiously.
“Well,” said Mr. Sant, smiling, “I’ll take your word for it, because I believe, after all, it’s an honest word. But the point is this. Muscle and constitution are slow growers, and while my man was training to improve his, you could be improving yours. Science, on the other hand, can be taught, and I mean to teach him science until I consider he’s your equal and better. When that comes about you shall fight again, and I’ll umpire. Do you agree?”
“Don’t I!” said the boy.
“Very well. Only I must have an understanding. You must leave him unmolested in the mean time.”
“I’ll do it!” cried the lad. “I’ll do more. I’ll fight any one as putts a finger on un.”