Plum knew how to box well and most of the close-in blows which Ted directed toward him were deftly and completely blocked. In return he shook Ted up, planting his blows almost at will, though Ted kept his chin covered up. When Buck called time for the first round they had just warmed up.
Ted retired to one side of the ring to recover his breath and Plum walked across to the other. “How many rounds is this thing going to be?” Ralph demanded.
“It will go on until one of you admits that he is licked,” replied Buck. He glanced again at his watch. “Time is up. Go to it.”
This time Plum was out to win. He rushed in with his head down and his heavy fists swung like battering rams. Ted was forced to put all the strength he had into his footwork, for Plum was on the march and would not be denied. He had the weight to keep on coming and Ted was unable to stop him. There was no cautious poking this time, but serious rushing and stepping aside. To keep his feet at all Ted was forced to move fast.
During this round, busy as he was, Ted saw that he was making a mistake by allowing Plum to get the start. With a rushing start and the power of a heavier body the big boy had everything his own way and it was impossible for Ted to do more than keep him off. From his football playing Ted was fast and nimble, but he hadn’t gone into the argument just to run around the ring. Plum must be punished or he would draw most of the boys away from the camp and spoil a perfectly good Summer.
When the round was over he thought seriously of the affair in which he was engaged. It was no good natured argument that didn’t matter very much whether he won or not. He realized that he must win, or the breaking up of the camp would be a blow from which he would not recover in a long time. Most of the boys would desert him and return home with Plum, he was sure, and the failure would make the trustees of the club regret their choice of him as the leader. Boys naturally follow the one who can lead, even if that leadership is attained by the use of ready fists, and Plum, swaggering in the triumph of the physical victory, could split the camp so as to spoil its effectiveness. It was imperative that he win the fight before him, not only for the good of the camp, but for the effect it would have on the minds of the boys.
He looked across at Plum and saw that he was breathing heavily. Plum was not an outdoor boy in the strictest sense of the word and he did not play on any athletic team. He was just naturally strong and he did enjoy boxing, a subject he knew something about, as a dozen sore spots, combined with a split lip, led Ted to believe. But his wind was not good and his chest rose and fell in a way that looked painful.
“My best bet is to make him run around after me this round and then finish him in the next,” thought Ted, as Buck called time again.
Plum again charged and Ted side-stepped, leading him a chase around the ring. The boys had been rather silent the first two rounds but now, gripped with excitement, they called the names of their favorites, and Plum’s name was as prominent as Ted’s. Just as Plum had calculated his readiness to fight and his swagger had won the smaller boys to him and they were loudly shouting for his success.
Ted found difficulty in keeping out of Plum’s way and his movements annoyed the other. “Come on, fight, and don’t run away!” roared Plum. “If you are scared, just quit! I’ve got you licked, anyway!”