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might be called popular。 That was hardly the phrase for it； he had
merely been liked； but now dislike for him was growing。 His case was not
helped by the fact that he was out of luck； couldn't get work； didn't
belong to a union； and couldn't gain admission to one： He got a good many
slights of that small ill…defined sort that you can't quite put your
finger on； and it was manifest that there was only one thing which
protected him from open insult； and that was his muscle。 These young
people had seen him exercising； mornings； after his cold sponge bath；
and they had perceived by his performance and the build of his body；
that he was athletic； and also versed in boxing。 He felt pretty naked
now； recognizing that he was shorn of all respect except respect for his
fists。 One night when he entered his room he found about a dozen of the
young fellows there carrying on a very lively conversation punctuated
with horse…laughter。 The talking ceased instantly； and the frank affront
of a dead silence followed。 He said；
〃Good evening gentlemen；〃 and sat down。
There was no response。 He flushed to the temples but forced himself to
maintain silence。 He sat there in this uncomfortable stillness some
time； then got up and went out。
The moment he had disappeared he heard a prodigious shout of laughter
break forth。 He saw that their plain purpose had been to insult him。
He ascended to the flat roof； hoping to be able to cool down his spirit
there and get back his tranquility。 He found the young tinner up there；
alone and brooding； and entered into conversation with him。 They were
pretty fairly matched； now； in unpopularity and general ill…luck and
misery； and they had no trouble in meeting upon this common ground with
advantage and something of comfort to both。 But Tracy's movements had
been watched； and in a few minutes the tormentors came straggling one
after another to the roof； where they began to stroll up and down in an
apparently purposeless way。 But presently they fell to dropping remarks
that were evidently aimed at Tracy； and some of them at the tinner。
The ringleader of this little mob was a short…haired bully and amateur
prize…fighter named Allen； who was accustomed to lording it over the
upper floor； and had more than once shown a disposition to make trouble
with Tracy。 Now there was an occasional cat…call； and hootings； and
whistlings； and finally the diversion of an exchange of connected remarks
was introduced：
〃How many does it take to make a pair？〃
〃Well； two generally makes a pair； but sometimes there ain't stuff enough
in them to make a whole pair。〃 General laugh。
〃What were you saying about the English a while ago？〃
〃Oh； nothing； the English are all right； onlyI〃 What was it you said
about them？〃
〃Oh； I only said they swallow well。〃
〃Swallow better than other people？〃
〃Oh； yes； the English swallow a good deal better than other people。〃
〃What is it they swallow best？〃
〃Oh； insults。〃 Another general laugh。
〃Pretty hard to make 'em fight； ain't it？〃
〃No； taint hard to make 'em fight。〃
〃Ain't it； really？〃
〃No； taint hard。 It's impossible。〃 Another laugh。
〃This one's kind of spiritless； that's certain。〃
〃Couldn't be the other wayin his case。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Don't you know the secret of his birth？〃
〃No！ has he got a secret of his birth？〃
〃You bet he has。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃His father was a wax…figger。〃
Allen came strolling by where the pair were sitting； stopped； and said to
the tinner；
〃How are you off for friends； these days？〃
〃Well enough off。〃
〃Got a good many？〃
〃Well； as many as I need。〃
〃A friend is valuable； sometimes…as a protector； you know。 What do you
reckon would happen if I was to snatch your cap off and slap you in the
face with it？〃
〃Please don't trouble me； Mr。 Allen； I ain't doing anything to you。〃
You answer me！ What do you reckon would happen？〃
〃Well； I don't know。〃
Tracy spoke up with a good deal of deliberation and said：
〃Don't trouble the young fellow； I can tell you what would happen。〃
〃Oh； you can； can you？ Boys； Johnny Bull can tell us what would happen
if I was to snatch this chump's cap off and slap him in the face with it。
Now you'll see。
He snatched the cap and struck the youth in the face； and before he could
inquire what was going to happen； it had already happened； and he was
warming the tin with the broad of his back。 Instantly there was a rush；
and shouts of：
〃A ring； a ring； make a ring！ Fair play all round！ Johnny's grit； give
him a chance。〃
The ring was quickly chalked on the tin； and Tracy found himself as eager
to begin as he could have been if his antagonist had been a prince
instead of a mechanic。 At bottom he was a little surprised at this；
because although his theories had been all in that direction for some
time； he was not prepared to find himself actually eager to measure
strength with quite so common a man as this ruffian。 In a moment all the
windows in the neighborhood were filled with people； and the roofs also。
The men squared off； and the fight began。 But Allen stood no chance
whatever； against the young Englishman。 Neither in muscle nor in science
was he his equal。 He measured his length on the tin time and again；
in fact； as fast as he could get up he went down again； and the applause
was kept up in liberal fashion from all the neighborhood around。
Finally； Allen had to be helped up。 Then Tracy declined to punish him
further and the fight was at an end。 Allen was carried off by some of
his friends in a very much humbled condition； his face black and blue and
bleeding； and Tracy was at once surrounded by the young fellows； who
congratulated him； and told him that he had done the whole house a
service； and that from this out Mr。 Allen would be a little more
particular about how he handled slights and insults and maltreatment
around amongst the boarders。
Tracy was a hero now； and exceedingly popular。 Perhaps nobody had ever
been quite so popular on that upper floor before。 But if being
discountenanced by these young fellows had been hard to bear； their
lavish commendations and approval and hero…worship was harder still to
endure。 He felt degraded； but he did not allow himself to analyze the
reasons why； too closely。 He was content to satisfy himself with the
suggestion that he looked upon himself as degraded by the public
spectacle which he had made of himself； fighting on a tin roof； for the
delectation of everybody a block or two around。 But he wasn't entirely
satisfied with that explanation of it。 Once he went a little too far and
wrote in his diary that his case was worse than that of the prodigal son。
He said the prodigal son merely fed swine； he didn't have to chum with
them。 But he struck that out； and said 〃All men are equal。 I will not
disown my principles。 These men are as good as I am。〃
Tracy was become popular on the lower floors also。 Everybody was
grateful for Allen's reduction to the ranks； and for his transformation
from a doer of outrages to a mere threatener of them。 The young girls；
of whom there were half a dozen； showed many attention