two minutes before he knew that in this instance he was hopelessly
outclassed.

'I'm in for a hiding,' he said to himself. 'A chap in search of the
lofty ideal will have to make up his mind to a pretty good hiding,
too. If you're eating for honour, you mustn't leave anything on the
trencher.' He watched the fight keenly, but he watched it with a
heart that danced unevenly. 'Yes,' he thought; 'I shall have to take a
bellyful.'

The combat was brief and decisive.

'Sivin an' a quarter minutes of a round,' said the master of the
ceremonies; 'an' a pretty bit o' fightin.' Theed'st best get ready,'
turning to Paul. 'The little un's pumped. He'll ask for a second
helpin', but that'll finish him.'

The prophecy was realized, and Paul found himself in a brief space of
time standing hand in hand with Master Tonks, and looking him squarely
in the eye. The fist Paul held in his own was like a mason's mallet, but
its owner was of a clumsy and shambling build. Paul silently breathed
the one word 'tactics,' and he and his opponent fell back from each
other. He thought Master Tonk's attitude curiously awkward, but he had
no guess as to what lay behind it. He sparred for an opening. It looked
all opening, and he wondered, and half dropped his hands.

'Goo in!' said somebody, in a jeering voice. 'Goo in, one or t'other on
ye!'

Paul went in, and Master Tonks went down. He was picked up, and knocked
down again.

'Why, what is it,' asked Paul. 'You've got no guard, lad.'

'I told thee how it ud be,' said one of the onlookers, addressing Master
Tonks, as he sat upon the turf nursing his nose in the hollow of his
arm. 'Ye see, lads,' he continued, 'it's like this: This is Turn Tunks,
this is--Billy's brother. They'm my nevews, the pair on 'em. Billy's
laid up with a broken leg, and Turn's come here to show for him for the
honour o' the family. I thought he knowed a bit about it, or I wouldn't
ha' suffered him to come.'

So this part of the contest ended in fiasco, but the next combat and the
next were spirited and skilful The four victors in the first bout drew
straws for the second. The winner of the first fight fell to Paul's
share.

'Lofty conduct!' said Paul to himself, with a little rueful grin. 'I'm
in for it, and I must make the best of it.'

He made the best of it for one fast five minutes, and all on a sudden
he found himself looking at the sky, his opponent and the little crowd
clean vanished. He was dreamy and quie