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AT any other time of year It might have passed, but Spring is queer. He says somethin'—I dunno— Somethin' nasty. I says, "Ho!" "Ho, yourself !" he says, an' glares. I says nothin'—only stares. "Coot!" says he … Then up she goes! An' I land him on the nose.

''It was Spring, Spring, Spring! Just to hear the thrushes sing '' ''Would make a fellow laugh, or love, or fight like anything.  Which mood called I wasn't carin'; I was feelin' fine an' darin'; '' ''So I fetches him a beauty with a lovely left-arm swing.  Ben Murray staggered back a bit an' howled a wicked word '' ''Which gave me feelin's of great joy … An' that's how it occurred. ''

"On the sawdust!" yells old Pike, Gloatin' an' bloodthirsty-like. "On the sawdust with yeh both!" Truth to tell, I'm nothin' loth. I peel off my coat an' vest. Murray, with his rage suppressed, Comes up eager, pale with spite. "Glory!" shouts old Pike. "A fight!"