“Well, your turn will come next. Now then. Ready?”

“Yes,” we cried.

“Then you, Mercer, hit him in the chest.”

“And what shall I do?”

“Don’t let him. You’ve got your right ready, haven’t you? Now then, off!”

We were both terribly excited, and I was on my guard as Mercer hit at me with his soft glove, and I caught the blow on my right arm.

“Good!” cried Lomax; “bravo! well stopped. But that’s all you did, because you didn’t know any better. If you had known better, Master Mercer would be sitting on the floor.”

“What ought I to have done, then?” I said.

“You wait and I’ll show you. Now, Mercer, hit at him again. Hit this time. That’s a boxing-glove you’ve got on.”

“Well, I know it is.”