"Is it a free fight ?" says he.
Assured that it is, "Count me in," says he.

Ten minutes later, "Is it still a free fight ?" he says, and, again assured in the affirmative, says he, "Count me out." Once the greatest of bullies provoked old Aaron Pennington, "the strongest man in the world," who struck out from the shoulder and landed his victim in the middle of the street.

Here he lay in a helpless heap until they carted him off to the hospital, where for a day or two he flickered between life and death.

"Foh God," said Pennington, "I barely teched him." This same bully threatened that when a certain mountain man came to town he would "finish him." The mountain man came.

He was enveloped in an old-fashioned cloak, presumably concealing his armament, and walked about ostentatiously in the proximity of his boastful foeman, who remained as passive as a lamb.