Rodney Stone by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle — Read

AND now the day of the great fight began to approach. Even the imminent / outbreak of war and the renewed threats of Napoleon were secondary things / in the eyes of the sportsmen-and the sportsmen in those days made a large / half of the population. In the club of the patrician and the plebeian / gin-shop, in the coffee-house of the merchant or the barrack of the / soldier, in London or the provinces, the same question was interesting / the whole nation. Every west-country coach brought up word of the fine / condition of Crab Wilson, who had returned to his own native air for his / training, and was known to be under the immediate care of Captain / Barclay, the expert. On the other hand, although my uncle had not yet / named his man, there was no doubt amongst the public that Jim was to be / his nominee, and the report of his physique and of his performance found / him many backers. On the whole, however, the betting was in favour of / Wilson, for Bristol and the west country stood by him to a man, whilst / London opinion was divided. Three to two were to be had on Wilson at any / West End club two days before the battle.

I had twice been down to Crawley to see Jim in his training quarters, / where I found him undergoing the severe regimen which was usual. From / early dawn until nightfall he was running, jumping, striking a bladder / which swung upon a bar, or sparring with his formidable trainer. His / eyes shone and his skin glowed with exuberent health, and he was so / confident of success that my own misgivings vanished as I watched his / gallant bearing and listened to his quiet and cheerful words.