"Hello, Billy!" said he, pleasantly; "let's take a drink first."

Billy, who was a red-haired man, with a snapping-turtle mouth, but not a
vicious-looking man for all that, briefly replied, "All right," and
these two determined enemies clinked their glasses with the unconcern of
mere social drinkers.

But, after this, they proceeded promptly to business; the Judge, who was
rather slow on his guard, was the owner of a badly cut arm within three
minutes by the bar-keeper's watch, but not until he had given Billy, who
was parrying a thrust, an ugly gash in his left temple.

There was a busy hum during the adjustment of bets on "first blood," and
the combatants very considerately refrained from doing serious injury
during this temporary distraction; but within five minutes more they had
exchanged chest wounds, but too slight to be dangerous.

Betting became furious--each man fought so splendidly, that the boys
were wild with delight and enthusiasm. Bets were roared back and forth,
and when Pentecost, by virtue of his universally conceded authority,
commanded silence, there was a great deal of finger-telegraphy across
the circle, and head-shaking in return.

Such exquisite carving had never before been seen at Hanney's--that was
freely admitted by all. Men pitied absent miners all over the State, and
wondered why this delightful lingering, long-drawn-out system of
slaughter was not more popular than the brief and commonplace method of
the revolver. The Webfoot rapturously and softly quoted the good Doctor
Watt's: