Stating it broadly, fighters may be said to be divided into twoclasses--those who are content to take two blows if they can givethree in return, and those who prefer to receive as little punishmentas possible, even at the expense of scoring fewer points themselves.

　　Kennedy's position, when Jimmy Silver called time, was peculiar. Onall the other occasions on which he had fought--with the gloves on inthe annual competition, and at the assault-at-arms--he had gone in forthe policy of taking all that the other man liked to give him, andgiving rather more in exchange. Now, however, he was obliged to alterhis whole style. For a variety of reasons it was necessary that heshould come out of this fight with as few marks as possible. To beginwith, he represented, in a sense, the Majesty of the Law. He wastackling Walton more by way of an object-lesson to the Kayitemutineers than for his own personal satisfaction. The object-lessonwould lose in impressiveness if he were compelled to go about for aweek or so with a pair of black eyes, or other adornments of a similarkind. Again--and this was even more important--if he was badly markedthe affair must come to the knowledge of the headmaster. Being aprefect, and in the sixth form, he came into contact with the Headevery day, and the disclosure of the fact that he had been engaged ina pitched battle with a member of his house, who was, in addition toother disadvantages, very low down in the school, would be likely tolead to unpleasantness. A school prefect of Eckleton was supposed tobe hedged about with so much dignity that he could quell turbulentinferiors with a glance. The idea of one of the august body loweringhimself to the extent of emphasising his authority with the bareknuckle would scandalise the powers.

　　So Kennedy, rising at the call of time from the bed on which he sat,came up to the scratch warily.

　　Walton, on the other hand, having everything to gain and nothing tolose, and happy in the knowledge that no amount of bruises could dohim any harm, except physically, came on with the evident intention ofmaking a hurricane fight of it. He had very little science as a boxer.

　　Heavy two-handed slogging was his forte, and, as the majority of hisopponents up to the present had not had sufficient skill to discounthis strength, he had found this a very successful line of action.

　　Kennedy and he had never had the gloves on together. In thecompetition of the previous year both had entered in their respectiveclasses, Kennedy as a lightweight, Walton in the middles, and both,after reaching the semi-final, had been defeated by the narrowest ofmargins by men who had since left the school. That had been in theprevious Easter term, and, while Walton had remained much the same asregards weight and strength, Kennedy, owing to a term of hard bowlingand a summer holiday spent in the open, had filled out. They were nowpractically on an equality, as far as weight was concerned. As forcondition, that was all in favour of Kennedy. He played football inhis spare time. Walton, on the days when football was not compulsory,smoked cigarettes.

　　Neither of the pair showed any desire to open the fight by shakinghands. This was not a friendly spar. It was business. The first movewas made by Walton, who feinted with his right and dashed in to fightat close quarters. It was not a convincing feint. At any rate, it didnot deceive Kennedy. He countered with his left, and swung his rightat the body with all the force he could put into the hit. Walton wentback a pace, sparred for a moment, then came in again, hittingheavily. Kennedy's counter missed its mark this time. He just stoppeda round sweep of Walton's right, ducked to avoid a similar effort ofhis left, and they came together in a clinch.

　　In a properly regulated glove-fight, the referee, on observing theprincipals clinch, says, "Break away there, break away," in a sad,reproachful voice, and the fighters separate without demur, being verymuch alive to the fact that, as far as that contest is concerned,their destinies are in his hands, and that any bad behaviour in thering will lose them the victory. But in an impromptu turn-up like thisone, the combatants show a tendency to ignore the rules so carefullymapped out by the present Marquess of Queensberry's grandfather, andrevert to the conditions of warfare under which Cribb and Spring wontheir battles. Kennedy and Walton, having clinched, proceeded towrestle up and down the room, while Jimmy Silver looked on from hiseminence in pained surprise at the sight of two men, who knew therules of the ring, so far forgetting themselves.

　　To do Kennedy justice, it was not his fault. He was only acting inself-defence. Walton had started the hugging. Also, he had got theunder-grip, which, when neither man knows a great deal of the scienceof wrestling, generally means victory. Kennedy was quite sure that hecould not throw his antagonist, but he hung on in the knowledge thatthe round must be over shortly, when Walton would have to loose him.

　　"Time," said Jimmy Silver.

　　Kennedy instantly relaxed his grip, and in that instant Walto............