ughed.

"'Tention!" cried Lomax, shutting and bolting the door. "Business! You
can laugh after. Now then, put them on."

We readily obeyed, and as each glove was put on, Lomax tied them
securely in their places by the stout strings at the wrists, and once
more our comical aspect was too much for us, and we laughed more
uproariously than before.

"'Tention, I say, boys. Silence! Now then, I don't do so in drilling
you, but the best way to teach a man anything is by letting him go his
own way, and then correcting his mistakes. Now, are you ready, both of
you, and done with your nonsense?"

"Yes, we are quite serious now," I said.

"Then, to begin with, you, Master Burr, stand up before me, and hit me
hard in the chest."

"But it will hurt you," I said.

"You do as I tell you. Hit me in the chest as hard as you can."

I stood up in front of him, and punched him with the soft glove just
below his chin.

"Do you call that hard? Try again."

I struck him again.

"Better," he said; "but it wouldn't have killed a blue-bottle. Now you,
Master Mercer."

"I'll hit you hard, then, if you will not mind."

"Tchah! just as if you could hurt me! Go on."

Mercer flew at him and struck with all his might.

"Better," said Lomax; "that might have killed a blue-bottle. But it is
just as I thought; you're both wrong."

"Wrong?" we echoed.

"Of course you are. So those two gave you both a good thrashing, eh?"

"Yes," I said bitterly.

"Of course they would if you behaved like that. What are those hanging
down by your sides?"

"Arms," I said wonderingly.

"Then why do you treat 'em as if they were wind-mill sails, and swing
'em round that fashion?"

"Then you ought to hit straight out," I said, "and not swing your arms
round?"

"Of course," said our instructor; "but that isn't all. You both hit at
me with your right glove."

"Of course. The right arm's the stronger."

"Exactly, my lad; so keep it to use as a shield."

"But you want to beat a boy when you fight him," I said.

"To be sure you do, and to beat him you must be strong and able to hold
out, and to do this you must be ready to keep him first of all from
injuring you. It's self-defence, so you keep your best arm to keep the
enemy from making your nose swelled like yours was, Master Mercer, and
from sticking his fist in your eye like Master Dicksee did in yours,
Master Burr. And that isn't all. If you are keeping him from hurting
y