Round 1.—Precisely at six minutes past one the onslaught commenced. Broome, to the astonishment of all, did not assume the elegant attitude we have seen in former battles, but feinted and dodged about without gathering himself together in the least. Tom was evidently surprised, and thought he must be “kidding;” he therefore assumed a defensive position, and bided his time. He had not long to wait. Harry was bent on forcing an opening, and dashed in, feinted with his left, ducked his head, and lodged his left heavily on Tom’s breadbasket. His nut was laid open to a severe upper cut, but Tom, bewildered, did not see, and therefore did not take the advantage of his opening. Broome now came again, let fly his left at the forehead, inflicting no damage, napped a little one on the left brow, and slipped down.
2.—Paddock at once rattled in, let go his left with great quickness on the proboscis, drawing first blood. Broome returned on the left cheek, and also elicited a supply of the ruby. Harry then closed, and tried to throw his man, but, after a short struggle, in which Tom was very busy with his right at close quarters, Tom slipped from his grasp and fell.
3.—Broome, out of all form, tried to take a lead, but in vain. Paddock was too quick for him, and pegged away heavily left and right on the conk, inflicting a cut on the bridge thereof, drawing more fluid. Broome again closed, and Tom resorted to his fibbing system with both hands heavily on the side of Harry’s nut, and on his ribs. This effectually put a stop to any chance of his being thrown, and in the end both fell side by side.
4.—Broome dashed in, let fly his left, which missed; slight exchanges with the same hand followed, and Paddock slipped down. He jumped up immediately to renew the round, but Jemmy Massey squeezed him in his arms as if he were a child, and carried him struggling to his corner.
5.—Broome came up puffing, and evidently out of sorts. Paddock, fresh as a daisy, grinned a ghastly grin, and awaited the onslaught. Harry tried his left, when Tom countered him heavily on the snout, drawing more of the crimson. Tom attempted to follow up his advantage, but Harry turned and ran away, Tom after him. On Broome turning round, Tom again planted a little one on the snuff box, and they once more closed, and some infighting took place, in which Broome received heavily on the body, and Tom got a little one behind his left ear. In the end Paddock slipped down.
6.—Tom came up smiling. Broome at once rushed in, and closed with his head under Paddock’s arm. Here Tom held it and pegged away at the ribs until both were down, Broome blowing and apparently distressed. The layers of odds even thus early began to look excessively blue at the want of precision of their pet, and his evident lack of lasting powers.
7.—Broome slow, tried a feint, when Tom nabbed him with the left on the cheek, and then with the same hand on the snout. Harry at once closed, when Tom, as usual, resorted to his fibbing, at which game Harry joined issue, and each got it on the nose and left cheek. In the end both again down.
8.—Tom led off with his left, a straight’un, on the snuff box. Some rambling, scrambling exchanges followed to a close, in which both fell.
9.—Tom steadied himself, and let go his left, but Harry countered him heavily on the right cheek. Tom returned on the jaw with his right, and in his hurry to get away slipped down. Harry drew back his hand, as if intending to deliver a spank, but prudently withheld the blow.
10.—Broome let go his left, but open-handed, on Tom’s left peeper. Tom returned on the sneezer, increasing the supply of the carmine, and slipped down.