"What might you 'ave done, now?"
"I have translated Petronius Arbiter, also Quintilian, with a literal rendering into the English of the Memoires of the Sieur de Brantome."
"Oh," exclaimed the smith, "that sounds a lot! anything more?"
"Yes," I answered; "I won the High Jump, and Throwing the Hammer."
"Throwin' th' 'ammer!" repeated Black George musingly; "was it anything like that theer?" And he pointed to a sledge near, by.
"Something," I answered.
"And you want work?"
"I do."
"Tell 'ee what, my fellow, if you can throw that theer 'ammer further nor me, then I'll say, 'Done,' and you can name your own wages, but if I beat you, and I'm fair sure I can, then you must stand up to me for ten minutes, and I'll give 'ee a good trouncin' to ease my mind—what d'ye say?"
After a momentary hesitation, I nodded my head.