68 THE VILLAGE CHAMPIONS
“It weren't a hole-an’-corner lay.
We painted up a board as said :
‘The Goat-and-Compasses—to-day—
An’ hentrance tuppence hevery ’ead.
The wummen-folk may henter free,
An’ likewise babbies under three.
“* A challenge to the world do I,
Jim Buskett, with the wooden legs,
Give forth to all men and sundry
To win the championship fur heggs ;
An’ this a stake 0’ twenty pound
To any heater ’ere around.’
“Now, mister, we ’ad never thought
To ’ave a heater sich as’e,
An’ yet opined as summun ought
To take the challenge, fair an’ free ;
Fur Jim ’e seemed to us to boast,
The which our villidge hates the most.
“Well, arter ’arf-a-’our ’ad gone,
Why, sudden-like there up an’ spoke:
‘T’ll challenge this ’ere champion !’
An’ this was this ’ere Billy Stoke.
So ups we gets upon our legs,
An’ tells the girl to fetch the heggs.
‘Says Jim, ‘Bring mine as hard as bricks,
An’ boil ’em ’arf-a-’our or more,