ainst granite and I back the former," said
Major Decoulis to Colonel Hanking; "other things being equal of
course--skill and ring-craft. And I hear that No. 2--the Queen's
Greys' man--is unusually fast for a heavy-weight."

"I'd like to see him win," admitted the Colonel. "The man looks a
gentleman. _Doesn't_ the other look a Bill Sykes, by Jove!"

The Staff Sergeant Instructor of the Motipur Gymnasium stepped into
the ring.

"Silence, please," he bawled. "Fifteen-round contest between Corporal
Dowdall, 111th Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, Heavy-Weight
Champion of Hindia, fourteen twelve (Number 1--on my right 'and) and
Trooper Matthewson, Queen's Greys, fourteen stun (Number 2--on my left
'and). Please keep silence durin' the rounds. The winner is
Heavy-Weight Champion of Hindia, winner of the Motipur Cup and 'older
of the Elliott Belt. All ready there?"

Both combatants were ready.

"Come here, both of you," said the referee.

As he arose to obey, Dam was irresistibly reminded of his fight with
Bully Harberth and smiled.

"Nervous sort o' grin on the figger-'ead o' the smaller wessel, don't
it," observed Seaman Smith.

"There wouldn't be no grin on _your_ fat face at all," returned Seaman
Jones. "It wouldn't be there. You'd be full-steam-ahead, bearings
'eated, and showin' no lights, for them tents--when you see wot you
was up against."

The referee felt Dam's gloves to see that they contained no foreign
bodies in the shape of plummets of lead or other illegal
gratifications. (He had known a man fill the stuffing-compartments of
his gloves with plaster of Paris, that by the third or fourth round he
might be striking with a kind of stone cestus as the plaster moulded
with sweat and water, and hardened to the shape of the fist.)

As he stepped back, Dam looked for the first time at his opponent,
conned his bruiser face and Herculean body, and, with a gasp and
shudder, was aware that a huge tattooed serpent reared its head in the
centre of his vast chest while smaller ones encircled the mighty
biceps of his arms. He clutched the rope and leant trembling against
the post as the referee satisfied himself (with very great care in
this case) of the innocence of the Gorilla's gloves.

"I know you of old, Dowdall," he said, "and I shall only caution you
once mind. Second offence--and out you go."

Corporal Dowdall grinned sheepishly. He appeared to think that a
delicate and gentlemanly compliment had been p