"They're both going!" With a gradual, deliberate motion, Lovely and the Gutter Pup sat down, still affectionately embraced; then, wavering a moment, careened over and lay blissfully unconscious. Amazement and perplexity burst forth. "Why, they're done for!" "They're out--they're both out!" "Sure enough." "What happens?" "Who wins?" "Well, did you ever----" Suddenly Hickey, standing forward, began to count: "One, two, three----" "What's he doing that for?" "Aren't they both down?" "Four, five, six, seven----" "But Lovely went first!" "No, the Gutter Pup." "Eight, nine, _TEN_!" cried Hickey. "I declare both men down and out. The Sporting Club will register one knockout to the credit of the Gutter Pup and one to Lovely Mead. All bets off. The Welsh Rabbit will proceed to return that watch!!" * * * * * At seven o'clock the next morning Lovely, from his delicious bed, gazed across at the swollen head of the Gutter Pup. At the same instant the Gutter Pup, opening his eyes, perceived the altered map of Lovely's features. "Lovely," he said brokenly, "you're the finest ever. You're a man after my own heart!" "Razzle-dazzle," replied Lovely, choking, "you're the finest sport and gentleman in the land. I love you better than a brother." "Lovely, that was the greatest fight that has ever been fought," said the Gutter Pup. "You are the daisy scrapper!" "Razzle-dazzle----" "Call me Gutter Pup." "Gutter Pup, you've got the nerve market cornered." "Lovely, I haven't felt so happy since the day I stood up five rounds----" Suddenly the Gutter Pup stopped and added apologetically: "Say, Lovely, honest, does my au-to-biography annoy you?" And Lovely replied happily: "No, Gutter Pup, honest--not now." [Illustration: chapter title decoration--THE HERO OF AN HOUR] THE HERO OF AN HOUR George Barker Smith was one of the four-hundred-odd boys whose names figure in the school catalogue at the commencement of each year. He had passed from the shell into the first form, from the first form into the second, where he had remained an extra year, during the elongating, dormant period of his growth, and another year, during the dormant, elongating one. Then in the seventh year of his career he finally achieved the fourth form and entered the Upper House. During this generous stay he had done nothing to distinguish himself from his neighbour. He had never accomplished anything heroic, attempted anything daring, or done anything ridiculous. After seven years his record was so blank that even the fertile imaginations of Hickey and Macnooder could find nothing on which to hang a nickname. Besides, it is doubtful if they ever stopped to think of George Barker Smith. He filled in, he was the average--a part of the great background of school life, which made up the second teams in athletic contests and substituted occasionally on the banjo and mandolin clubs, after borrowing a dress suit across the hall.