I am a magistrate, and, of course, cannot patronise the thing very openly, yet I sometimes see a prize fight: I saw the Game Chicken beat Gulley.' 'Did you ever see Big Ben ?' 'No; why do you ask ?' But here we heard a noise, like that of a gig driving up to the door, which was immediately succeeded by a violent knocking and ringing, and after a little time the servant who had admitted me made his appearance in the room.

'Sir,' said he, with a certain eagerness of manner, 'here are two gentlemen waiting to speak to you.' 'Gentlemen waiting to speak to me! who are they ?' 'I don't know, sir,' said the servant; 'but they look like sporting gentlemen, and--and'-- here he hesitated; 'from a word or two they dropped, I almost think that they come about the fight.' 'About the fight!' said the magistrate.

'No; that can hardly be; however, you had better show them in.' Heavy steps were now heard ascending the stairs, and the servant ushered two men into the apartment.

Again there was a barking, but louder than that which had been directed against myself, for here were two intruders; both of them were remarkable-looking men, but to the foremost of them the most particular notice may well be accorded: he was a man somewhat under thirty, and nearly six feet in height.

He was dressed in a blue coat, white corduroy breeches, fastened below the knee with small golden buttons; on his legs he wore white lamb's-wool stockings, and on his feet shoes reaching to the ankles; round his neck was a handkerchief of the blue and bird's eye pattern; he wore neither whiskers nor moustaches, and appeared not to delight in hair, that of his head, which was of a light brown, being closely cropped; the forehead was rather high, but somewhat narrow; the face neither broad nor sharp, perhaps rather sharp than broad; the nose was almost delicate; the eyes were gray, with an expression in which there was sternness blended with something approaching to feline; his complexion was exceedingly pale, relieved, however, by certain pock-marks, which here and there studded his countenance; his form was athletic, but lean; his arms long.