Allen came up looking pleased with matters in general. He gave Tony a
cousinly grin as they shook hands. Tony did not respond. He was feeling
serious, and wondering if he could bring off his knock-out before the
three rounds were over. He had his doubts.

The fight opened slowly. Both were cautious, for each knew the other's
powers. Suddenly, just as Tony was thinking of leading, Allen came in
like a flash. A straight left between the eyes, a right on the side of
the head, and a second left on the exact tip of the nose, and he was
out again, leaving Tony with a helpless feeling of impotence and
disgust.

Then followed more sparring. Tony could never get in exactly the right
position for a rush. Allen circled round him with an occasional feint.
Then he hit out with the left. Tony ducked. Again he hit, and again
Tony ducked, but this time the left stopped halfway, and his right
caught Tony on the cheek just as he swayed to one side. It staggered
him, and before he could recover himself, in darted Allen again with
another trio of blows, ducked a belated left counter, got in two
stinging hits on the ribs, and finished with a left drive which took
Tony clean off his feet and deposited him on the floor beside the
ropes.

'Silence, _please_,' said the referee, as a burst of applause
greeted this feat.

Tony was up again in a moment. He began to feel savage. He had expected
something like this, but that gave him no consolation. He made up his
mind that he really would rush this time, but just as he was coming in,