Ho, G’rilla Dowdall would make short work of that tippy young toff. Why, look at him!
And indeed it made you shudder to think of that enormous ferocity, that dynamic truculence, doing its best to destroy you in a space twenty-four feet square.
Let the challenger wait till G’rilla put his fighting face on—fair terrifyin’.
Not an Artilleryman but felt sure that the garrison-gunner would successfully defend the title and “give the swankin’ Queen’s Greys something to keep them choop[[25]] for a bit. Gettin’ above ’emselves they was, becos’ this bloke of theirs had won Best Man-at-Arms and had the nerve to challenge G’rilla Dowdall, R.G.A.”
[25] Silent.
Even the R.H.A. admitted the R.G.A. to terms of perfect equality on that great occasion.
But a few observant and experienced officers, gymnasium instructors, and ancient followers of the Noble Art were not so sure.
“Put steel-and-whalebone against granite and I back the former,” said Major Decoulis to Colonel Hanking; “other things being equal of course—skill and ring-craft. And I hear that No. 2—the Queen’s Greys’ man—is unusually fast for a heavy-weight.”
“I’d like to see him win,” admitted the Colonel. “The man looks a gentleman. Doesn’t the other look a Bill Sykes, by Jove!”
The Staff Sergeant Instructor of the Motipur Gymnasium stepped into the ring.