"You've got to keep on your feet and win on
points."

"I've got to kill _the Snake_," hissed Dam, and his seconds glanced at
each other anxiously.

He felt that nothing could keep him from victory. He was regaining his
faith in a just Heaven, now that the Snake had been compelled to face
him in the puny form of a wretched pugilist. Some one had said
something about an axe. It would be but fair if he had an axe, seeing
that hitherto the Snake had had him utterly defenceless while
exercising its own immeasurable and supernatural powers, when
torturing him to its heart's content for endless aeons. But--no--since
it was here in human form and without weapons, _he_ would use none,
and would observe the strictest fairness in fight, just as he would to
a real human enemy.

"Abaht that there little bet, 'Enery," observed Seaman Jones, "I fink
we'll alter of it. I don't wish to give no moral support to this 'ere
Griller. T'other bloke's only jus' fresh from the Novice Class, I
reckon, jedgin' by 'is innercent young faice, an' e's aputtin' up the
werry best fight as ever I see. We'll chainge it like this 'ere. We
backs the 'orse-soldier to win, and, if he _do_, we drinks a gallon
between us. If 'e don't, we drinks _two_ fer to console 'im, an' drahn
sorrer, wot?"

"So it are, Will'm," agreed Henery. "Then we wins _either_ way! _You_
got a 'ead fer logger-rhythms. Oughter been a bloomin' bookie. They
'as to be big an' ugly----"

"Seconds out of the Ring," called the referee, and a hush fell upon
the excited throng.

Bear and Goate dropped to the ground, Hawker splashed water all over
Dam's body and, as he rose on the word "_Time_" snatched away the
chair and joined his colleagues, who crouched with faces on a level
with the boards.

"Oh, buck him up, good Lord, and put ginger in his short-arm work, and
O Lord, take care of his chin and mark," prayed Trooper Bear, with
deep and serious devoutness.

No need to shake hands this bout--not again till the fifteenth, noted
Dam, as he arose and literally leapt at his opponent with a smashing
drive of his right and a feint of his left which drew the Gorilla's
guard and left his face exposed. The Gorilla received Dam's full
weight and full strength, and, but for the ropes, would have been
knocked among the spectators.

A tremendous yell went up, led by the Queen's Greys.

As the tautening of the ropes swayed the Gorilla inward again, Dam
delivered a brace of lightning strokes