isite
appointments.

But he has just come out strong. Company conference being over, there was
held the boxing match which one of the sergeants has been promoting, and
the whole company (officers discreetly absent) formed the ring and
applauded the heroism. Much of it would not interest you, yet you could
have stood a glimpse of it--the circle of men, good-naturedly applauding,
the heavy shadows under the overhead light, the gray-green uniformity of
men and sand, the two dancing figures, and the pat-pat of the gloves.
There were some neat bouts, and then the promoter made an announcement,
which to my surprise I saw Randall, stripped to the waist, furtively
trying to stop.

He had on his left, said the sergeant, one remaining contestant, whose
opponent had just sent word that he had hurt his wrist. Would any
gentleman be willing to provide Mr. Randall with an antagonist?

No one came forward. Randall looked very formidable, with his handsome
features and also a most superb set of muscles. I was saying to myself
that perhaps I'd better give him a go, when I caught sight of Lucy's
face, peering between the men in front of him, and so plainly full of
desire that I waited. Then Corder, on the other side of him, jogged David
in the ribs, and said in a low voice, "He called you Lucy!" In an instant
David, without a look behind or a moment's hesitation, was pushing
through the ring. "Let me try." And he stepped out into the light.

Someone caught me by the arm, and there was Knudsen, very angry. "Why
didn't you stop him?" he demanded. "He never can stand up to that
fellow." But I, feeling quite as satisfied as ever I felt in my life,
smiled him down, "Somehow I think he can," said I, and pushed after
David, to act as his second.

Oh, I coached him all I could, and in the rests I helped the gasping boy
in every way I knew how. The rounds were short, but too long for him in
his still soft condition. And he knew so little of the game! Had Randall,
who really had boxed before, used his head, poor David would have stood
no chance whatever. Yet the boy's insight was correct. No sooner did
Randall see before him the lad's unmistakably eager face, and know from
David's first rush that here was a fight, than he was flustered. So as
boxing the bout was nothing: neither could hit clean, parries were
clumsy, much was accident. David's very ardor betrayed him, and he came
back to me at the end of each round quite winded. But for the re