and bag punching by Young Brophy, was to terminate with three rounds
with Jimmy.

For two rounds the young man had permitted Brophy to make a monkey of
him, hitting him where he would at will, while Jimmy, as a result of
several weeks of diligent practice, was able to put up apparently a very
ferocious attempt to annihilate his opponent without doing the latter
any material damage.

At the close of the second round Brophy landed a particularly vicious
right, which dropped Jimmy to the canvas. The crowd applauded
vociferously, and as the gong sounded as Jimmy was slowly rising to his
feet they were all assured that it was all that had saved the young man
from an even worse thrashing.

As Jimmy returned to his corner there arose within him a determination
to thrash Young Brophy within an inch of his life after the big fight
was out of the way and Jimmy no longer bound by any obligations, for he
realized that for some reason Brophy had just gone a little too far with
his rough tactics, there having been in the arrangement with the
sparring partners an understanding that when a knock-down was to be
staged Brophy was to give his opponent the cue. No cue had been given,
however. Jimmy had not been expecting it, and he had been floored with a
punch behind which were all the weight and brawn of the pugilist.

He had long since ceased to consider what the spectators might think.
So far as Jimmy was concerned, they might have been so many chairs. He
was merely angry at the unnecessary punishment that had been inflicted.
As he sprawled in his corner he let his eyes run over the faces of the
spectators directly in front of him, to whom previously he had paid no