And now, gentlemen of Rock, I desire t' state to my deeply respected opponent that he is still champion of Rock, and I'm not sure but of Northern Iowa." "Three cheers for the Kunnel!" And while they were being given the Colonel's brows relaxed, and the champion of Cerro Gordo continued earnestly: "And now I wish to state to Colonel the solemn fact that I had nothing to do with the job put up on him to-night.

I scorn to use such means in a battle.

Colonel, you may be as bald as an apple, or an egg, yes, or a _plate_, but you can play more checkers than any man I ever met; more checkers than any other man on God's green footstool.

With one single, lone exception--myself." At this moment, somebody hit the Squire from Cerro Gordo with a decayed apple, and as the crowd shouted and groaned Robie turned down the lights on the tumult.

The old Colonel seized the opportunity for putting a handful of salt down Walters' neck, and slipped out of the door like a ghost.