Now can the chatter an' duck. There ain't enough fer one
here, let alone three. Beat it!" and the man, who was big and
burly, assumed a menacing attitude and took a truculent step
nearer the solitary camper.
The latter was short and slender. The larger man looked as
though he might have eaten him at a single mouthful; but the
camper did not flinch.
"You pain me," he said. "You induce within me a severe
and highly localized pain, and furthermore I don't like your
whiskers."
With which apparently irrelevant remark he seized the matted
beard of the larger tramp and struck the fellow a quick,
sharp blow in the face. Instantly the fellow's companion was
upon him; but the camper retained his death grip upon the
beard of the now yelling bully and continued to rain blow
after blow upon head and face.
Billy Byrne was an interested spectator. He enjoyed a good
fight as he enjoyed little else; but presently when the first
tramp succeeded in tangling his legs about the legs of his
chastiser and dragging him to the ground, and the second
tramp seized a heavy stick and ran forward to dash the man's
brains out, Billy thought it time to interfere.
Stepping forward he called aloud as he came: "Cut it out,
boes! You can't pull off any rough stuff like that with this
here sweet singer.
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