Having thrown his rival, George Shelton lay across him for a few moments, then leaped up, sprang back several paces, and turning to Mul-tal-la, said:
“Tell him, if he wants it, I’ll give him another chance.”
“No; my brother has won his gun.”
At the same moment Black Elk reached to the warrior holding the rifle, and, taking it from him, strode to where George Shelton was standing and handed it back without a word. Thus far the chief was certainly disposed to act fairly.
“Thank you for giving me what is mine,” said the exultant youth, bowing so low and smiling so broadly that the chief must have understood he was receiving thanks, even though none of the words was intelligible.
“Now, Victor,” added George, turning to his brother as he stepped beside him, “I’ll say to you what you said to me—that is, that if you don’t get the best of that grinning imp, who is eager to pummel you, you’re no brother of mine.”
While the discomfited wrestler slouched back beside his father, who acted as if he was ashamed of him, the other son fairly bounded into the arena. He stood grinning, with fists doubled, and manifestly impatient for the sport to begin. To hurry his foe he twisted his face into an insulting grimace.
No one knew Victor’s quick temper better than his brother. It was that which caused him his only misgiving.
“Victor,” said he, with much earnestness, “if you don’t keep cool and have all your wits about you, you’ll get whipped. He’s stronger than his brother, and you have a harder job before you than I did. Remember—KEEP COOL!”
Now, Victor himself was fully aware of his infirmity, but, like many thus afflicted, he often yielded to it. At the very opening of the bout he came within a hair of falling a victim to his own impetuous temper. Neither he nor the Shoshone displayed any of the scientific points which are seen to-day when two professionals face each other in the ring, for they had not had any instruction. You would have said the pose of both was wrong, for, instead of holding the right hand across and in front of the chest for purposes of parrying, while the “leading” was done with the left, they stood with fists thrust out and side by side, but both balanced themselves well on their feet, and were on the watch for an opening.