3.—Sam, elated, dodged on his left leg three or four times, and tried to pop in his left, but was prettily stopped. Ned broke away. Both sparred cautiously. Good stopping, right and left, by both men. Ned now finding that nothing was to be done at long bowls, rushed in, planted one of his right-handed slashers on Sam’s left cheek, and then, boring Sam to the ropes, shoved him across them, chopping with his fists as he lay, and this he continued till Sam fell on the ground, amidst cries of “foul,” and “fair,” but no exception was taken.
4.—Sam came up rather flushed in the physog, and looked serious. Sam, steady, tried again for his favourite plunge with the left, but Ned stopped him in good style, and then rushing in, hit Sam down with a left-hander on his bird-call. (First knock-down blow for Ned; and a cry of first blood, but none was forthcoming from Sam’s dominoes, although pointed at.)
5.—Ned again bored, and planted a blow on Sam’s mouth, but had it beautifully, right and left, in return. Ned now closed, and tried once more for the fall. Sam, ready, fibbed prettily, and in the end, Ned, finding it would not do, slipped down.
6.—Both their mugs flushed from hitting, and both looked serious. Ned stopped Sam’s left, when Sam tried left and right in succession, both hitting away in a beautiful rally, and each receiving pepper, but the balance against Ned. Sam delivered a stinging upper-cut as Ned got away. After a pause, both again fought to a rally, in which the nobbing was heavy. In the close, Sam hit up, and Ned got down.
7.—Little time was lost in going to work, and a beautiful rally was fought, in which hit followed hit in rapid succession. Sam’s blows were delivered with most precision, and Ned’s right ogle began to swell, while first blood was visible on his nose. Sam looked wild, and a swelling on his temple showed that Ned’s operations had not been without effect. Sam’s upper-cuts in this round were excellent, and Ned went down weak; he had clearly reduced his ordinary strength, and was altogether out in his wrestling calculations, as Sam was too quick, and, when seized, too firm on his pins for a clear throw.
8.—Ned’s face much altered and swollen, and Sam’s jowl puffy. Sam dodged for his left, and planted it neatly on Ned’s smeller. Ned rushed in, and forced back Sam to the ropes. Sam caught him round the neck, and hit up. Ned slipped down.
9.—Ned distilling claret from his snuffler, and rather abroad. Sam, ready, jumped in and jobbed him right and left, and Ned was down, bleeding at all points. Sam decidedly the best out-fighter, and betting even.
10.—Sam steady to his guard. Ned finding no chance at out-fighting, rushed in, his right hand passing over Sam’s shoulder. Sam grasped him round the neck, and hit up with great severity. Ned went down.
11.—Ned rushed in, planted left and right-hand round hits, and, in getting back, fell.
12.—Ned rattled in with his left, but received a heavy counter-hit on the nose. In the trial for the fall, both went down, Ned on his back, Sam on him.