“Come on!” cried Galway. “It takes you a long time ter git inter gear.” “Don’t be impatient, my friend,” said Merry, floppily waving one of the gloves at the bruiser. “We’ve got all the—hic!—all the afternoon.” “Dat’ll give yer a long time ter sleep,” said Husker. “Gentlemen,” called the student who had appointed himself as referee, “in the main bout to-day we have the great Husker Galway, heavyweight champion of the Pimlico Road.” He waved his hand toward Galway. “His opponent is Frank Merriwell, all-round champion at anything and everything.” A wave toward Merry. “The fight will be in three-minute rounds, with half-minute intermissions, both men to defend themselves in the breakaway. They will fight to a finish.” “Hoop-la! Yow! Yow!” yelled the students. “’Rah for Darby, the referee!” The timekeeper had his watch in his hand. Suddenly he struck the gong that hung suspended at one side of the raised platform. Galway strode forward to the centre of the ring. Merry advanced with a shuffling, unsteady step. “It’s a shame to take the money!” muttered Fillmore. “Why, the fellow is all in now! Husker can put him out with one punch.” “Sure he can,” agreed Hackett. “But he won’t.” “Why not?” “He knows I want him to cut the fellow up, and he’ll try to let Merriwell keep on his feet while he chops his face to pieces. I wonder if Inza will kiss him when she sees him to-night! Bet he’ll feel so sore he’ll drink like a fish after this is over. We must be careful not to let him get so drunk he can’t show up before Inza.” Galway and Merry reached forth their hands and their gloves touched. Then they assumed the position of “on guard.” Merry put up his hands rather awkwardly. Galway grinned. “It’s too bad, boy,” he sneered; “but you’d be a plum pudding for any sixteen-year-old kid in Baltimore.” Saying which he reached over and tapped Merry lightly on the nose. CHAPTER XXIV. THE FINISH. “Ouch!” said Merry. “Dat didn’t hurt, did it?” asked the slugger, with an air of surprise. “Not much.” “How ’bout dat?” Husker tapped him again. Merry didn’t seem able to protect himself in the least. “It’s going to be a slaughter!” muttered Hackett. “I did hope he’d try to put up a scrap just to give us some fun.” The students cried: “Brace up, Merriwell!” “What are you doing?” “Don’t let him hit you that way!” “Open your eyes!” “Hit back at him!” “You fools!” thought Bart Hodge. “It’s plain you’ve planned to have lots of fun with us, but the laugh is coming the other way when this affair is over. You’ll be the most surprised bunch of lobsters in Baltimore.” Galway danced round Merry. He came in and feinted, causing Merry to make a wild motion to parry. Then he laughed loudly, for it seemed that Frank had exposed himself. The prize fighter resolved to show the youth up. To do so he kept working in and out and drawing Frank, as he supposed, into defenseless positions.