“What will you do?”
“I will not permit either of you to hit me once.”
“Oh, come off!” laughed Packard. “We can get you between us, and you can’t help being hit.”
“If either of you are able to hit me one fair blow in five minutes’ time, I will admit that I am not yet prepared to meet Merriwell.”
“All right; we’ll show you!” cried Packard. “Move the furniture out of the way. But, before you begin, I want you to know that I am something of a boxer. Once on a time I took lessons from Buster Kelley, New Haven’s great fighter, for the purpose of getting into shape for a go with Merriwell.”
“So much the better,” nodded the undisturbed athlete, “for it will serve as a more satisfactory test.”
So the furniture was moved back from the center of the room, and Packard and Defarge threw off coats and vests, drew on the gloves, and prepared for the encounter.
When they were ready, the athlete said:
“Before we begin I will warn you that I may often defend myself with my feet, as well as with my hands. I shall strike neither of you with my clenched fists, but I may push you with either feet or hands.”
“That’s all right,” grinned Roland. “I’ll risk but I can dodge your feet.”