o fights。 Before he met Jack Burke's Little David at Milledgeville； I wanted him to win at least three more。 He would need all of the pit experience he could get to win over Burke's Ace。
The Cook's Hollow Game Club was similar to a hundred other small southern cockpits。 The pit was on Vern Packard's rocky farm； adjacent to his barn； and covered with a corrugated iron roof。 There were three…tier bleachers on three sides； and the fourth side was the barn wall。 A double door in the barrier provided an entranceway inside； and two…by…two coops were nailed to the interior walls of the barn to serve as cockhouses for visitors。
There was a large blackboard nailed to the outside of the barn。 The fans could follow the running results of the derby as they were chalked up by the referee following each battle。 Cockfighters looking for individual hacks also used the blackboard。 I had written my name and the weights of all my cocks in square letters； hoping for a challenge。 When three…quarters of the crowd had left； I decided to quit myself。
I was inside the barn； transferring my birds into my traveling coops； when Vern Packard introduced me to an old farmer and his son。
〃Frank；〃 Vern said； 〃this is Milam Peeples； and his son； Tom。〃
I shook hands with both men。 Milam Peeples was in his late fifties； tanned and well weathered by his years of outside labor。 The yellow teeth on the left side of his mouth； I noticed； were worn down almost to the gum line from chewing on a pipe。 The son was a full head taller than his father； with long thick arms and big raw…looking hands。 He had a lopsided smile； a thick shock of wheat…colored hair； and he wore a gauze pad over his left eye。 His right eye was blue。 A thin trickle of spit ran down his chin from the left corner of his slack mouth。 Either it didn't bother him or he didn't notice it。 I noticed it； and it bothered me。
〃Glad to meet you； Mr。 Mansfield；〃 Tom Peeples said。
〃I saw on the blackboard out there〃…his father made a sweeping gesture with his malodorous briar pipe… 〃that you got a 4：02 lookin' for a fight。 If you don't mind givin' me an ounce； I got a 4：03 out to my place that can take him。〃
〃He's my cock； Mr。 Mansfield；〃 Tom broke in。 〃Little Joe。 You ever hear of him？〃
〃Mr。 Mansfield hasn't fought in this neck of the woods for some years； Tom；〃 Vern answered for me。 〃I doubt if he has。〃
〃Little Joe's a six…time winner； Mr。 Mansfield；〃 the old man continued； 〃but I've never fought him here in Vern's pit。 He's crowd shy and can't be conditioned to people or noise。 But if you want to drive on out to my farm； maybe we could have us a little private hack。〃
I nodded sympathetically。 Often a gamecock is crowd shy。 But I wasn't too anxious to pit Icky against a six…time winner。
〃I'll tell you what；〃 Milam Peeples said generously； 〃I'll give you two…to…one odds； and you can name the amount。 After all； you got to fight at my place instead of here； and I want to be fair。〃
I agreed； holding up five fingers。
〃Nope；〃 Milam Peeples shook his head。 〃I ain't fightin' Little Joe for no fifty dollars。 Ain't worth the risk。〃
I had meant five hundred dollars。 I grinned and opened and closed my fist five times； as rapidly as I could。
〃Five hundred dollars？〃 Mr。 Peeples took the pipe out of his mouth。
When I nodded； he hesitated。
〃Now that's getting mighty steep。 If I lose； you win yourself a thousand dollars。〃
〃You offered Frank two to one；〃 Vern Packard reminded the old man。
〃Little Joe can take him； Daddy！〃 Tom said eagerly。
〃All right。〃 Peeples agreed to the bet and we shook hands。 〃When you're ready to go you can follow us on out in your car。〃
〃Why don't you load Mr。 Mansfield's coops in his station wagon； Tom；〃 Vern suggested。 〃And I'll take him up to the house to get his suitcase。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 Tom said。
As soon as Vern and I entered the back door of his house into the kitchen； he dropped into a chair beside the table where we had eaten breakfast。 There was an amused smile on his friendly； open face。 Vern was a short wiry little man with a sparse gray moustache； and he had been a good host。
〃Just a second； Frank；〃 Vem's voice stopped me as I started for the bedroom。 〃It's a trick。 Old Man Peeples has never heard of you； Frank； and he's taken you for a sucker。 I've seen him take itinerant cockers before； and I've never said anything。 Why not？ Peeples is a local cocker； and most of the drifters who fight here don't e back anyway。 But I don't feel that way about you。 Because the local gamblers didn't know your reputation I won six hundred bucks today on your hacks。〃 Vern laughed with genuine amusement。
〃You wouldn't fight the old man anyway； once you saw his setup。 He's got a square chunk of waxed linoleum in his barn for the floor of his cockpit。 And that cock of his hasn't won six fights； he's won at least eighteen fights！ He rubs rosin on Little Joe's feet； and on that slick waxed floor the opposing cock doesn't have a chance。 But if you really think your cock can take him； now that you know their game； I'll give you a chunk of rosin。 That way； you'll both start even。〃
I got my suitcase out of the bedroom。 Vern rummaged through the drawers of the sideboard。
〃Here；〃 he handed me an amber chunk of rosin the size of a dime…store eraser。 〃You don't need very much； Frank。 But don't fight him on that waxed linoleum unless you use it。 If you want my advice； you're a damned fool to fight him at all！〃
I winked； shook hands with Vern and crossed the yard toward the station wagon。 These two peckerwoods had a lesson ing； and I had made up my mind to teach it to them。 Icky was in peak condition； as sharp as a needle。 They would be counting on their trick to win。 With the rosin safe in my pocket； the odds were in my favor。 I couldn't believe that Little Joe； despite his eighteen wins； was in proper condition to beat Icky in an even fight。
I put my suitcase in the back； checked Tom's loading of my coops； climbed into the front seat； and honked my horn to let Peeples know that I was ready to go。 I followed his vintage black car out of the parking lot。 The Peeples farm was some six miles out in the country； and to get there I had to follow the lurching car over a twisting； rock…strewn； spring…breaking dirt road。 When the old cockfighter stopped at the entrance to his dilapidated barn； I parked beside him。
I could see the cockpit without getting out of the station wagon。 The linoleum floor was a shiny； glistening design in blue…and…white checkered squares。 The glassy floor was such a flagrant violation of pit regulations…anywhere…that I began to wonder if there wasn't more going on here than Vern Packard had told me。 But Vern had advised me not to fight； so I decided to go ahead with it and see what happened。
When I leaned over the seat to pull out Icky's coop； Tom opened the front door and offered his help。
〃I'll hold him for you； Mr。 Mansfield。〃
I took my blue chicken out of the coop and passed him to Tom Peeples。 He smiled； hefting Icky gently with his big raw hands。
〃He feels jes' like a baseball！〃 Tom said； as I opened my gaff case。 〃Sure does seem a shame to see Little Joe kill a pretty chicken like this one。〃
I cleared Icky's spur stumps with typewriter…cleaning fluid； and heeled him low with a set of silver one…and…aquarter…inch gaffs。 Holding the cock under the chest with one hand； Tom passed him back to me。
〃By the way；〃 he said； snapping his fingers； 〃Little Joe always fights in three…inch heels； if you want to change。〃 Tom had waited patiently until I had finished heeling before providing me with this essential information。 Another violation of form。 Of course； he had no way of knowing that I wouldn't have changed to long heels anyway。
I shook my head indifferently； and he ran to meet his father who was rounding the corner of the barn。 Mr Peeples had gone to the rows of chicken runs behind the barn to get Icky's opponent while Tom had helped me heel。 I took a good look at Little Joe from the front seat。
The cock had been so badly battered I couldn't determine his game strain。 His b and wattles were closely cropped for fighting； and