This piece of intelligence appeared to disconcert Burley, for he whispered to his second, and they glanced suspiciously towards the crowd.
"There'll be no firing afore the time at this fight," I heard the man say who had requested us to be on the watch for the bully.
"Now, then, gentlemen, are you ready?" asked Charley.
"Ready for half an hour past, 'cos I've got to be at old Steve's at eight o'clock," returned Burley.
The crowd cheered him for his spunk, as they termed it, and when Fred only bowed to the question, and pulled his hat a little more over his eyes, the Californian's party applauded.
"Now, then, remember what I told you. Are you ready?"
Both men cocked their pistols, and aimed as though they meant mischief.
"Fire!" thundered the Californian.
I heard a bullet whiz past me, and I saw that Fred stood firm upon his legs, and then I had just time to look towards the bully to see him give a spring upward and fall heavily upon his face. The earth fairly shook as he struck it.