the time."

"God! if they don't give the word in a minute I shall be unable to
hold off It," replied Dam wildly.

"That's the sperrit, Cocky," approved Hawker, "but donchew fergit you
gotter larst fifteen bloomin' rahnds. 'Taint no kindergarters.
'_E_'ll stick it orlrite, an' you'll avter win on _points_----"

"Seconds out of the Ring," cried the time-keeper, staring at his
watch.

"Don't get knocked out, dear boy," implored Trooper Bear. "Fight to
win on points. You _can't_ knock him out. I'm going to pray like hell
through the rounds----"

_"Time"_ barked the time-keeper, and, catching up the chair as Dam
rose, Trooper Bear dropped down from the boards of the ring to the
turf, where already crouched Hawker and Goate, looking like men about
to be hanged.

The large assembly drew a deep breath as the combatants approached
each other with extended right hands--Dam clad in a pair of blue silk
shorts, silk socks and high, thin, rubber-soled boots, the Gorilla in
an exiguous bathing-garment and a pair of gymnasium shoes.

Dam a picture of the Perfect Man, was the taller, and the Gorilla, a
perfect Caliban, was the broader and had the longer reach. Their right
hands touched in perfunctory shake, Dam drew back to allow the Snake
to assume sparring attitude, and, as he saw the huge shoulders hunch,
the great biceps rise, and the clenched gloves come to position, he
assumed the American "crouch" attitude and sprang like a tiger upon
the incarnation of the utter Damnation and Ruin that had cursed his
life to living death.

The Gorilla was shocked and pained! The tippy pink-and-white blasted
rookie was "all over him" and he was sent staggering with such a rain
of smashing blows as he had never, never felt, nor seen others
receive. The whole assembly of soldiers, saving the Garrison
Artillerymen, raised a wild yell, regardless of the referee's
ferocious expostulations (in dumb-show) and even the ranks of the
Horse-Gunners could scarce forbear to cheer. The Queen's Greys howled
like fiends and Hawker, unknown to himself, punched the boards before
him with terrific violence. Never had anything like it been seen.
Matthewson was a human whirlwind, and Dowdall had not had a chance to
return a blow. More than half the tremendous punches, hooks and
in-fighting jabs delivered by his opponent had got home, and he was
"rattled". A fair hook to the chin might send him down and out at any
moment.

Surely never had human being aim