The world, for them, is a place where they have a chance of besting you and me, of getting more money than you or I, of "prospering," as they call it, at another's expense.
"An Ocean Tramp"
William McFee
Those who should have been steadily attentive to their duties, with never a thought in their minds of anything save besting the motley crew that besieged us, began to talk openly of starvation, as if there was no question whatsoever but that we had come nearly to the end of our provisions, and thus, as I believe, they brought over to their way of thinking many who never would have listened to such wild talk, but for the fact that it seemed probable the hour of surrender must be near at hand.
"The Minute Boys of the Mohawk Valley"
James Otis
There were times when it seemed that all he had ever done, all his life, was to train himself for the single purpose of besting the Nipe.
"Anything You Can Do"
Gordon Randall Garrett