17.—Brassey in with his right on Caunt’s ogle, and went down.
18.—Caunt, in his wild rush, hit Brassey left and right on the pimple, and on his going down, as he stepped over him, scraped his forehead with his shoe, peeling off a trifle of the bark.
19.—Caunt, more steady, planted his left on Brassey’s dexter peeper, and hit him clean down with his right. (First knock-down blow unequivocally declared for Caunt.)
20.—Caunt delivered his left heavily on Brassey’s snout, and his right on the side of his head. Brassey made play, but missed, and went down. On being lifted on his second’s knee, he bled from mouth and nose.
[The friends of Caunt, who had been silent up to this, regarding the issue of the battle anything but certain, now again opened their potato traps, and offered 2 to 1, which was taken.]
21.—Caunt delivered another heavy body blow with his right, which made a sounding echo. Brassey rushed to a close, and clung with his legs around Caunt’s thighs. Caunt tried to hold him up with his left while he hit with his right, but he found this impossible, and flung him down with contempt. It was here clear that if once Brassey suffered himself to be grasped in a punishable position by his opponent it would be all over.
22, 23, 24, and 25 were all pretty much in the same style—the hitting wild and ineffective, Brassey either clinging to his man or throwing himself down.
26.—Another heavy blow on the ribs from Caunt’s right told smartly on Brassey’s corporation. Brassey attempted to close, but Caunt threw him heavily with his head on the ground.
27, 28, 29.—Not much done, Brassey going down every round, after slight and wild exchanges.
30.—Caunt hit Brassey down with one of his swinging right-handed hits on the side of his head, which made his left eye twinkle again. (3 to 1 offered and taken on Caunt.)