well on your nose at
once. Now, your left arm and fut in advance, not too much; keep your
body square to the front. Your right arm across, guarding what we calls
the mark, that's just above the belt, where the wind is. Let your left
play up and down free, your foot and body moving with it graceful like.
That's better. Now, try to hit me in the face as hard as you can; you
won't do it, no fear; I should like to bet a pound to a shilling on that
every time, and I won't hold my hands up neither. It's just to show yer
what judging the distance is."

Saurin hesitated at first, and hit gently; but urged to try his best he
at last struck out sharply, but could not reach the professor's visage.
Sometimes he turned it slightly to the right, sometimes to the left, and
the blow went past his ear. Some times he just drew his head back, and
the pupil's fist came to within an inch of what he called his nose, but
never touched it. This was a way the professor had of showing his
credentials--it was his unwritten diploma proving his efficiency to
instruct in the noble art. After this the boxing gloves were put on,
and the pupil was directed to walk round the professor in a springy
manner, leading off at his face, the instructor throwing off the blows
with an upward movement of the right arm. Next, after a pause for rest,
they went on again, Saurin leading off, the professor parrying and
returning the blow, slowly at first, then quicker as the pupil gained
skill and confidence in warding off the hit. Then the instructor led
off, and the pupil parried and returned. Then one, two, three, four.
And so the first lesson ended, and Stubbs, who was another of the class,
was taken in hand. Now Stubbs had naturally let his beloved Topper
loose as he passed through the yard, and the dog followed him into the
room where the lesson was going on. So long as Stubbs led off at the
professor Topper was quiet and happy; his master he thought was worrying
someone, it was his human equivalent to killing a rat; but when the
professor led off at _him_, the case was different, and Topper, without
warning, went straight at the supposed assailant's throat. Fortunately
the professor had a bird's-eye handkerchief round his neck, which
protected it from the dog's teeth, for Topper sprang right up and fixed
him. It was frightful to look at, but Stubbs had the presence of mind
to seize his animal round the throat with both hands immediately and
drag h