The Croxley Master: A Great Tale Of The Prize RingDoyle, Arthur Conan
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The Croxley Master: A Great Tale Of The Prize Ring
Doyle, Arthur Conan
Boxers (Sports) -- Fiction; Boxing stories
"Ah, just as well I should see it done. Seen you before, Craggs. Saw you
fight your second battle against Willox. You had beaten him once, but he
came back on you. What does the indicator say?--one hundred and
sixty-three pounds--two off for the kit--one hundred and sixty-one. Now,
my lad, you jump. My goodness, what colours are you wearing?"
"The Anonymi Cricket Club."
"What right have you to wear them? I belong to the club myself."
"So do I."
"You an amateur?"
"Yes, sir."
"And you are fighting for a money prize?"
"Yes."
"I suppose you know what you are doing? You realize that you're a
professional pug from this onwards, and that if ever you fight
again----"
"I'll never fight again."
"Happen you won't," said the woman, and the Master turned a terrible eye
upon her.
"Well, I suppose you know your own business best. Up you jump. One
hundred and fifty-one, minus two, one hundred and forty-nine--twelve
pounds difference, but youth and condition on the other scale. Well, the
sooner we get to work the better, for I wish to catch the seven o'clock
express at Hellifield. Twenty three-minute rounds, with one-minute
intervals, and Queensberry rules. Those are the conditions, are they
not?"
"Yes, sir."
"Very good, then, we may go across."
The two combatants had overcoats thrown over their shoulders, and the
whole party, backers, fighters, seconds, and the referee, filed out of
the room. A police inspector was waiting for them in the road. He had a
notebook in his hand--that terrible weapon which awes even the London
cabman.
"I must take your names, gentlemen, in case it should be necessary to
proceed for breach of peace."
"You don't mean to stop the fight?" cried Armitage, in a passion of
indignation. "I'm Mr. Armitage, of Croxley, and this is Mr. Wilson, and
we'll be responsible that all is fair and as it should be.'
"I'll take the names in case it should be necessary to proceed," said
the inspector, impassively.
"But you know me well."
"If you was a dook or even a judge it would be all the same," said the
inspector. "It's the law, and there's an end. I'll not take upon myself
to stop the fight, seeing that gloves are to be used, but I'll take the
names of all concerned. Silas Craggs, Robert Montgomery, Edward Barton,
James Stapleton, of London. Who seconds Silas Craggs?"
"I do," said the woman. "Yes, you can stare, but it's my job, and no one
else's. Anastasia's the name--four a's."
"Craggs?"
"Johnson. Anastasia Johnson. If you jug him, you can jug me."
"Who talked of juggin', ye fool?" growled the Master. "Coom on, Mr.
Armitage, for I'm fair sick o' this loiterin'."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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