11.—Bailey made play, but missed his antagonist, and in a scramble Ward fell.
12.—The expressions of disapprobation at Ward’s continually going down were now so general that Ward smilingly exclaimed on coming up to the scratch “Bailey, don’t find fault; why should you?” Ward tried his left, but was stopped; he then put in his right, which slightly took effect on the nob; a rally, when Ward dropped on his knees, and Bailey was very near hitting him in that position.
13.—Ward put in a chin-chopper; a rally to the ropes, and both down together, if anything, Ward under.
14.—The left hand of Ward quickly visited the headpiece of Bailey, who rushed in, but it was “no go,” for his man went down as formerly.
15.—Ward led off, but missed the intended visitation, when Bailey went in, and for once succeeded in giving Nick the upper cut, which made a slight incision over the eyebrow.
16.—Bailey again felt Ward’s left on the canister, and the latter got away without a return, and was quickly down.
At this point, twenty-five minutes having elapsed, a policeman well mounted was seen in the distance, and the combatants had the office to “cut,” which they quickly did. The man in blue on arriving at the ring pulled out his “toasting fork,” and requested an old farmer, named Weston (who was also mounted, and had previously appeared to take extreme interest in the battle), to point out the fighting men. The jesuitical veteran, with evident pleasure, was about doing so, but both men escaped unperceived to a barn opposite. As the policeman expressed his determination to follow the parties, and prevent hostilities, a council of war was held, and it was decided that the train should be again had recourse to, and Woking Common the place of rendezvous. The Woking station was reached a little after one, and in less than half an hour the stakes were fixed in a retired spot at the end of the lane across the Common.
Here seventeen more rounds were fought in about thirty minutes, when the same style of fighting ensued as that above described, Ward, however, not going down quite so frequently as heretofore. Bailey received additional pepper on his mug, while Ward scarcely exhibited any marks of punishment. Many of the rounds were remarkable for their non-effect on either side, and their scrambling struggles were more like those of two big boys at school than men in the P.R. In the 12th round Bailey had the best of it, but “bad was the best.”
A dispute arose in the 15th round, Bailey having slipped down without a blow, but the fight was ordered to be proceeded with. In the next bout, after a short rally, Ward dropped to avoid in-fighting, when Bailey certainly struck Nick on the ribs while he was on his knees. The referee, however, gave a contrary opinion, and the men came to the scratch for the 17th time at this place, and the 33rd in the whole. They soon went to work, and immediately after closing Ward went down, when Bailey, it was said, again struck him foul.
The referee was once more appealed to, who decided that Bailey, although evidently accidentally, had hit his man when down. Ward immediately proceeded to the corner to untie the colours, which was resisted by Bailey, who “pitched into him,” and bored him with his neck against the ropes. They were soon separated, and Ward left the ring with his friends, Bailey reluctantly following.