The Pothunters

e before?' said a voice. Tony

id, 'what the dickens

ing a little boxing. If you'

sickness, and that sort of thing.

Trod on myself during a game of f

e middles,

es

am

Sportsman. It says y

able to have any lunch, or I shall have

l, let's hope we

r,' sa

es of the public schools had assembled to box, fence, and perform gymnastic prodigies for fame and silver medals. The room was full of all sorts and sizes of them, heavy-weights looking ponderous and muscular, feather-weights di

t there. But his doubts as to his ability to hold his own against all-comers were extreme, nor were they lessened by the knowledge that his cousin, Allen Thom

Thomsons--Allen's brother Jim was at St Austin's in the same House as Tony--were good at most forms of sport. Jim, however, had never taken to the art of boxing very kindly, but, by way of compensation, Allen had sk

ed with Allen daily, and invariably got the worst of it. Allen was too quick for him. But he was cl

all right again

h my training a good bit, though. I ought by rights to b

good footer training long before I started to get fit for Aldershot. But

Wellington. That

Paul

N

mops you up. I've a conscientious

'if you weren't so beastly slow with your guar

By the way, don't have any false delicacy about spoiling my a

ance be forgot. I'm not Thomso

Personally, I'm going for the k

olished the knock-out blow, and a boxer might still pay attent

hing-in in a couple of minutes, and I haven't started to change yet. Good, I've not brought e

st boot when a Gymnasium offi

boxing get ready for the weighing-in, ple

gious ceremony, but even religious ceremonies come to an end, and after a quarter of an hour o

d not seen since they had parted that morning, the one on his way to th

Mr Gr

this show start? Do you know w

t or they may make a start with 'em first thing. No, the ligh

ne

middle-weight pair. That'll b

is time in the middle of a warmish opening round. Tony watched th

duck like th

light-weights is always quicker at the duck than what heavier men are. You

tion, the referee gave it as his opinion that on the whole R. Cloverdale, of Bedford, had had a shade the worse of the exchanges, and that in consequence J. Robinson, of St P

led the M.C. 'W.P. Ross (Wellington

er of the ring, where he sat down and was vigorously massaged by his two seconds. Tony took the opposite corner and submitted himself to the same process. It is a very cheering thing at any time to hav

was also a soldier. He was in every way his colleague's opposite. He was half his size, had red hair, and was bubbling over with conversation. The other could

Fred,' he began, as he

said the other, gloomily, a

Seconds away,' s

im

ood up to

atter got to work, and after that there was only one man in the ring. In the middle of the second round the referee stop

Fred,' began th

ets young Thomson. I've seen 'im box 'ere three years

already knew all there was to be known about Allen

bout of the feathers and the second of the light-weights, an

ee gentle rounds with the Harrow sportsman, just doing sufficient to keep the lead and obtain the verdict after the last round. He finished without having turned a hair. He had only received one really hard blow, and that had done no damage. After this came a long series of fi

ldiers, neither fatiguing himself very much. Henderson, of Felsted, proved a much tougher nut to crack than Allen's first opponent. He was a rushing boxer, and in the first round had, if anything, the best

en decided, and Robinson, of St Paul's, after the custom of Paulines, had set the crown upon his afternoon's work by fi

d to take the

d Dawkins had come to his corne

keep goin' 'ard all the time and wear 'im out.

' sai

r right.' This was excellent in theory, no doubt, but Tony felt that when he came to

Seconds out of t

ered the red-haired man a

as they shook hands. Tony did not respond. He was feeling serious, and wondering if

leading, Allen came in like a flash. A straight left between the eyes, a right on the side of the head, and a second l

in Tony ducked, but this time the left stopped halfway, and his right caught Tony on the cheek just as he swayed to one side. It staggered him, and before he could recover himself, in darted Allen again with

the referee, as a burst of

ing in, Allen came in instead. It seemed to Tony for the next half-minute that his cousin's fists were never out of his face. He looked on the world through a brown haze of boxing-glove. Occasionally his ha

is head gloomily as h

rulous man. 'You're too slow. Go in at 'im, sir, wiv

,' was the only reply

ound, but to his joy 'Time' was duly called. He came up to the scratch as game as e

h a flush hit on the face. He rushed again, and again met Allen's left. Then he got past, and in the confined space had it all his own way. Science

ere was a prolonged rally, and it was not until 'Time' had been called that Allen was able

aded second. 'Keep 'em both goin' hard, and you'll

to admit that Tony could fight, eve

interval while the two sparred for an opening. Then Allen feinted and dashed in. Tony did not hit him once. It was the first round over again. Left right, left right, and, finally, as had happened before, a tremendously hot shot which sent him under the ropes. He got up, and again Allen darted in. Tony met him with a straight lef

ine ..

eper closed

the referee, 'look a