In the boxing class thus established, none showed a greater eagerness
to learn than did Larry. Every moment of his father's spare time he
utilised to add to his knowledge of the various feints and guards and
cuts and punches and hooks that appeared necessary to a scientific
acquaintance with the manly art. He developed an amazing capacity to
accept punishment. Indeed, he appeared almost to welcome rough handling,
especially from the young men and boys bigger than himself. Light
in weight and not very muscular, he was wiry and quick in eye and in
action, and under his father's teaching he learned how to "make his
heels save his head." He was always ready for a go with any one who
might offer, and when all others had wearied of the sport Larry would
put in an extra half hour with the punching bag. With one boy only he
refused to spar. No persuasion, no taunts, no challenge could entice him
to put on the gloves with Mop Cheatley. He could never look steadily at
Mop for any length of time without seeing again on his face the sneering
grin and hearing again the terrible words spoken two years ago in the
cedar woods behind the mill pond: "You're a coward and your mother's a
coward before you." He refused to spar with Mop for he knew that
once face to face with him he could not spar, he must fight. But
circumstances made the contest inevitable. In the working out of a
tournament, it chanced that Mop was drawn to face Larry, and although
the disparity both in age and weight seemed to handicap the smaller boy
to an excessive degree, Larry's friends who were arranging the schedule,
among them Mack Morrison with big Ben Hopper and Joe Gagneau as chorus,
and who knew something of Larry's skill with his hands and speed on his
feet, were not unwilling to allow the draw to stand.

The days preceding the tournament were days of misery for Larry. The
decision in the contest would of course be on points and he knew that he
could outpoint without much difficulty his antagonist who was clumsy and