The way in which Jack eluded his savage rushes and sweeping blows maddened and annoyed Napper, who began to get pumped with his exertions; but he presently got in a blow which caught Jack on the left cheek and made his teeth rattle again. ‘Time!’ cried Hodson, and he and Callon ran in to their man. In a few moments Jack was ready again. ‘Try and keep away from his slogging blows,’ whispered Hodson; ‘you stand a good chance if you hang on a bit.’ ‘All right,’ said Jack cheerily; ‘I’m a long way from being finished yet.’ In the second round Napper came on triumphantly, apparently only waiting an opportunity to rush in and smash his opponent up once and for all. But that he found was more difficult to perform than he imagined. It was science versus strength, and provided only that science could hold on long enough it stood a very good chance of winning. Seeing an opening after Napper had made one of his futile rushes, Jack got in one too, a regular postman’s knock on his chest, and when time was called Napper did not feel nearly so confident. A couple of similar rounds now followed, and it was curious to note the effect on the bystanders of Jack’s improving chances. At first, when he made a good hit they looked at one another as though to say, ‘Well done!’ but had expressed no opinion aloud. But when it was seen he was holding his own well there were frequent outbursts of ‘Well hit, Blair!’ ‘Well done, ‘Cruity!’ and so on. Jack was not escaping scot-free, and when he came up for the fifth round one eye was almost closed. Napper, however, was getting very puffed; he was not nearly in such good condition as Jack, and he could not now follow him up so quickly. His breathing was laboured and heavy, and his sledge-hammer blows not so frequent. Jack then altered his tactics. In an instant he changed from a defensive to an offensive policy; flew at Napper, used his fists with amazing rapidity, and before his astonished enemy realised what was happening half-a-dozen straight, heavy blows had fallen on his head and body. At the beginning of the next round Napper was beginning to show signs of heavy punishment. In avoiding a rush, Jack bent over till his right forearm rested on his right thigh, and swinging round his left with a circular motion he got in right between Napper’s eyes. He followed up his advantage, and, after several stunning blows on the head, with a left-hander just over Napper’s heart he laid him flat down at Lumsden’s feet. Jack waited for Napper to rise; but there was no more fight left in that gentleman. ‘Has your man had enough?’ asked Jack of Lumsden. ‘You can see for yourself,’ replied Lumsden sullenly. Then a strange thing happened. The trumpeters in room B2 realised that the reign of Bully Napper was over. ‘Hurrah! hurrah! three cheers for Blair!’ they yelled. ‘Shut up, you young asses!’ cried Lumsden angrily. ‘Do you want to bring the guard down on you?’