"Well," said Abe, "what do you think of
him ? Ain 't he pretty nifty with his hands ? ' '

' ' Too slow to suit me, ' ' said Penfield. " He 's
wide open all the time, emd he has to set himself
for every punch. I don't like him."

"I'd like to bet you that he wins," said Abe,
with an eye to business.
"I may take some of that after I've seen the
other man," replied Penfield. "Almost any-
body ought to lick this CuUen."

"Bet you two to one he wins !" said Abe sud-
denly.
"Show me the other boy first," said Penfield
cautiously.
[304]



EASY PICKING



"I guess he's over at the gymnasium," sug-
gested Abe. "What say we go there now?"

**I don't mind," said Penfield.
Williams, despite his awkwardness and his
other failings, seemed to make quite an impres-
sion on the stranger.
"Now, that's my notion of a fighter!" said
Penfield heartily. "He hasn't had the experi-
ence, of course, and he isn't very clever, but he's
determined, and I like the way he swings that
right hand. He '11 stop Cullen if he hits him. ' '

"Bet you two to one!" said Abe.
"How much?" asked Penfield, reaching for
his pocketbook.
That night the news sped about town that
there was some easy money at the Parkerton
House, and there was an immediate scramble
to reach it first.
