each other carefully. Jack smiled. So did Harris.
As they touched gloves, Harris said:

"You're a nice boy. I don't want to hurt you too much, so I'll make
this short"--the referee had announced that the match was to be for ten
rounds.

"Don't worry about me," said Jack. "I can take care of myself. If the
match is short you won't find me on the deck."

Harris would have replied, but at that moment the referee called:

"Time!"

Jack leaped lightly backward even as Harris aimed a vicious blow at his
head, apparently trying to make good his word to end the battle at
once. The blow missed Jack's face by the fraction of an inch. Harris
followed up this blow with a right and left, which Jack blocked neatly,
and then brought his right up, trying to upper cut.

Jack leaped backward and the blow grazed his chin. Before Harris could
recover, Jack stepped quickly forward and planted a sharp right and a
hard left to Harris' nose. Harris stepped back and wiped away a stream
of red.

It was first blood for Jack and the crew of the _Queen Mary_ sent up a
wild cheer.

But Harris only smiled. He was not to be caught so easily again.

These two blows had given the _Indefatigable_ champion some respect for
Jack's ability. He advanced more carefully this time. He feinted
rapidly and shot his left forward, quickly followed by his right. But
Jack had not been deceived and caught both blows upon his forearms.

"You're all right, boy," said Harris, admiringly, "It's a pleasure to
box with you."

"And I may say the same," said Jack.

They fell to it again.

As Harris stepped quickly forward his foot slipped and he fell to one
knee.

"Hit him when he gets up!" came a cry from the crowd.

Instead, Jack lowered his guard and extended a hand. He helped his
opponent to his feet. Then he stepped back and the battle continued.

Now Jack decided that he would feel the other out. He feinted rapidly,
once, twice, and struck out with a right; and he staggered back
suddenly, for something had suddenly come up under his chin with
terrible force. In a moment Jack realized what _it_ was. It was
Harris' right, which Captain Raleigh had warned him against. Had the
blow been timed perfectly, Jack realized, the fight would have been
over then and there.

Guarding desperately, Jack managed to fall into a clinch, where he hung
on until his head cleared. As he stepped back the referee called time.
The first round was Harris' by the margin of