ried Alf Pond scornfully; "Charley hadn't no use for women,
or he wouldn't have been the boxer he was."

"He was quite himself, quite natural, yesterday?" asked Malcolm Sage.

"Quite himself," repeated Alf Pond deliberately; then, once more
indicating Kid, he added, "Look at Kid; that's what he done in one
round." There was in his tone all the contempt of knowledge for
ignorance.

Malcolm Sage resumed his hat and, taking his pipe from his pocket,
proceeded to stuff it with tobacco, as if that were the only problem
in the world. On everything he did he seemed to concentrate his
entire attention to the exclusion of all else.

"No smokin' here, if _you_ please," said Alf Pond sharply.

Malcolm Sage returned his pipe to his pocket without comment.

"Now, what are you going to do?" There was challenge in Alf Pond's
voice as he eyed Malcolm Sage with disfavour. In his world men with
bald, conical heads and gold-rimmed spectacles did not count for
much.

"How many people know of the disappearance?" enquired Malcolm Sage,
ignoring the question.

"Outside of us here, only Mr. Papwith," was the response.

For fully a minute Malcolm Sage did not reply. At length he turned
to Mr. Doulton.

"Can you arrange to remain here to meet Mr. Papwith?" he enquired.

"I propose doing so," was the reply.

"You want to find Burns, I suppose?" Malcolm Sage asked of Alf Pond,
in low, level tones.

Alf Pond and his colleagues eyed him as if he had asked a most
astonishing question.

"You barmy?" demanded the trainer, putting into words the looks of
the others.

"You will continue with the day's work as if nothing had happened,"
continued Malcolm Sage. "No one outside must know that----"

"But how the hell are we going to do that with Charley gone?" broke
in Alf Pond, taking a step forward with clenched fists.

"Your friend here," indicating Kid, "can pose as Burns," was Malcolm
Sage's quiet reply, as he looked into the trainer's eye without the
flicker of an eyelash.

"You, Mr. Doulton, I will ask to remain here with Mr. Papwith until
I communicate with you. On no account leave the training-quarters,
even if you have to wait here until to-morrow evening."

"But----" began Alf Pond; then he stopped and gazed at the
sparring-partners, blinking his eyes in stupid bewilderment.

"Have I your promise?" enquired Malcolm Sage of Mr. Doulton.

"As far as I am concerned, yes," was the response, "and I think I
can answer for Papw