Jim looked curiously at him, wondering evidently what it was that lay behind these abrupt sentences and sudden silences. The coach-house had in the mean time been cleared; Berks with many curses had staggered at last to his feet, and had gone off in company with two other bruisers, while Jem Belcher alone remained chatting very earnestly with my uncle.
"Very good, Belcher," I heard my uncle say.
"It would be a real pleasure to me to do it, sir," and the famous prize-fighter, as the two walked towards us.
"I wished to ask you, Jim Harrison, whether you would undertake to be my champion in the fight against Crab Wilson of Gloucester?" said my uncle.
"That is what I want, Sir Charles--to have a chance of fighting my way upwards."
"There are heavy stakes upon the event--very heavy stakes," said my uncle. "You will receive two hundred pounds, if you win. Does that satisfy you?"
"I shall fight for the honour, and because I wish to be thought worthy of being matched against Jem Belcher."
Belcher laughed good-humouredly.
"You are going the right way about it, lad," said he. "But you had a soft thing on to-night with a drunken man who was out of condition."
"I did not wish to fight him," said Jim, flushing.
"Oh, I know you have spirit enough to fight anything on two legs. I knew that the instant I clapped eyes on you; but I want you to remember that when you fight Crab Wilson, you will fight the most promising man from the west, and that the best man of the west is likely to be the best man in England. He's as quick and as long in the reach as you are, and he'll train himself to the last half-ounce of tallow. I tell you this now, d'ye see, because if I'm to have the charge of you--"
"Charge of me!"
"Yes," said my uncle. "Belcher has consented to train you for the coming battle if you are willing to enter."
"I am sure I am very much obliged to you," cried Jim, heartily. "Unless my uncle should wish to train me, there is no one I would rather have."
"Nay, Jim; I'll stay with you a few days, but Belcher knows a deal more about training than I do. Where will the quarters be?"
"I thought it would be handy for you if we fixed it at the George, at Crawley. Then, if we have choice of place, we might choose Crawley Down, for, except Molesey Hurst, and, maybe, Smitham Bottom, there isn't a spot in the country that would compare with it for a mill. Do you agree with that?"
"With all my heart," said Jim.
"Then you're my man from this hour on, d'ye see?" said Belcher. "Your food is mine, and your drink is mine, and your sleep is mine, and all you've to do is just what you are told. We haven't an hour to lose, for Wilson has been in half-training this month back. You saw his empty glass to-night."
"Jim's fit to fight for his life at the present moment," said Harrison. "But we'll both come down to Crawley to-morrow. So good night, Sir Charles."
"Good night, Roddy," said Jim. "You'll come down to Crawley and see me at my training quarters, will you not?"
And I heartily promised that I would.
"You must be more careful, nephew," said my uncle, as we rattled home in his model vis-a-vis. "En premiere jeunesse one is a little inclined to be ruled by one's heart rather than by one's reason. Jim Harrison seems to be a most respectable young fellow, but after all he is a blacksmith's apprentice, and a candidate for the prize- ring. There is a vast gap between his position and that of my own blood relation, and you must let him feel that you are his superior."
"He is the oldest and dearest friend that I have in the world, sir," I answered. "We were boys together, and have never had a secret from each other. As to showing him that I am his superior, I don't know how I can do that, for I know very well that he is mine."
"Hum!" said my uncle, drily, and it was the last word that he addressed to me that night.
CHAPTER XII--THE COFFEE-ROOM OF FLADONG'S
So Boy Jim went down to the George, at Crawley, under the charge of Jim Belcher and Champion Harrison, to train for his great fight with Crab Wilson, of Gloucester, whilst every club and bar parlour of London rang with the account of how he had appeared at a supper of Corinthians, and beaten the formidable Joe Berks in four rounds.