fit for Aldershot. But I think I ought to get along fairly well. Any idea who's in against us?'     

       'Harrow, Felsted, Wellington. That's all, I think.'     

       'St Paul's?'     

       'No.'     

       'Good. Well, I hope your first man mops you up. I've a conscientious objection to scrapping with you.'     

       Allen laughed. 'You'd be all right,' he said, 'if you weren't so beastly slow with your guard. Why don't you wake up? You hit like blazes.'     

       'I think I shall start guarding two seconds before you lead. By the way, don't have any false delicacy about spoiling my aristocratic features. On the ground of relationship, you know.'     

       'Rather not. Let auld acquaintance be forgot. I'm not Thomson for the present. I'm Rugby.'     

       'Just so, and I'm St Austin's. Personally, I'm going for the knock-out.       You won't feel hurt?'     

       This was in the days before the Headmasters' Conference had abolished the knock-out blow, and a boxer might still pay attentions to the point of his opponent's jaw with an easy conscience.     

       'I probably shall if it comes off,' said Allen. 'I say, it occurs to me that we shall be weighing-in in a couple of minutes, and I haven't started to change yet. Good, I've not brought evening dress or somebody else's footer clothes, as usually happens on these festive occasions.'     

       He was just pulling on his last boot when a Gymnasium official appeared in the doorway.     

       'Will all those who are entering for the boxing get ready for the weighing-in, please?' he said, and a general exodus ensued.     

       The weighing-in at the Public Schools' Boxing Competition is something in the nature of a religious ceremony, but even religious ceremonies come to an end, and after a quarter of an hour or so Tony was weighed in the balance and found correct. He strolled off on a tour of inspection.     

 Prev. P 3/117 next