You want to know how? Well, to start with, by means of a board
and a piece o' chalk, same as they teach at school nowadays."
She stepped a pace farther into the room, shut home the door behind
her, and cast her eye over the ale-scores on the back of it.
There were a dozen marks, maybe, set down against her own man's name;
but for the moment she offered no remark on this.
"Mr. Oke," says she, turning to the landlord, "I reckon you never go
without a piece o' chalk in your pocket. Step this way, if you
please, and draw a line for me round what these lords of creation owe
ye for drink. Thank'ee. And now be good enough to fetch a chair and
stand 'pon it; I want you to reach so high as you can--Ready?
Now take your chalk and write, beginning near the top o' the door:
'I, Sarah Hancock--'"
Landlord Oke gave a flourish with his chalk and wrote, Sally
dictating,--
"'I, Sarah Hancock--do hereby challenge all the men in Saltash
Borough--that me and five other females of the said Borough--will row
any six of them any distance from one to six statute miles--and will
beat their heads off--pulling either single oars or double paddles or
in ran-dam--the stakes to be six pound a side.
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