'No. No, I'm all right. I'm in a beastly hole though. I wanted to talk
to you about it.'

'Weigh in, then. We've got plenty of time before school.'

'It's about this Aldershot business. How on earth did you manage to
lick Allen like that? I thought he was a cert.'

'Yes, so did I. The 'ole thing there, as Dawkins 'ud say, was, I
knocked him out. It's the sort of thing that's always happening. I
wasn't in it at all except during the second round, when I gave him
beans rather in one of the corners. My aunt, it was warm while it
lasted. First round, I didn't hit him once. He was better than I
thought he'd be, and I knew from experience he was pretty good.'

'Yes, you look a bit bashed.'

'Yes. Feel it too. But what's the row with you?'

'Just this. I had a couple of quid on Allen, and the rotter goes and
gets licked.'

'Good Lord. Whom did you bet with?'

'With Allen himself.'

'Mean to say Allen was crock enough to bet against himself? He must
have known he was miles better than anyone else in. He's got three
medals there already.'