“Hm-m-m,” muttered Lord Hastings, sizing the two up critically.  “And you think you can thrash him, eh?”

“I think so, sir.”

“Well, I don’t,” was the reply.  “I have a notion to forbid it.”

“Don’t, sir,” pleaded Frank.  “It will have to come some time, and the sooner the better.”

Lord Hastings was plainly undecided.  But at last he threw open his arms in a gesture of permission.

“Go ahead, then,” he said.  “I’ll stay and see fair play.”

Watch in hand, Jack raised an arm.  He was silent a moment.  Then,

“Go!” he said, “and remember, fight fair!”

The two combatants had sprung forward before the words were out of Jack’s mouth, and the latter was obliged to skip nimbly aside to get out of their way.

Davis rushed forward to meet Frank, who advanced more slowly, though with confidence written large on his features.  Jack, perceiving this, shook his head sadly.

Frank evaded Davis’ first terrific blow, that must have laid him flat had it landed.  Side-stepping neatly, he struck Davis a light and glancing blow over the right ear.  There was little force behind it and Davis did not even wince.  He whirled and rushed again.

Again Frank side-stepped and planted a light blow to Davis’ head, following it up quickly with a heavier blow to the forehead.  Davis shook his head, and, raising his guard, stood still.  Evidently he had decided to try no more rushing tactics.

Frank, nothing loath to take the offensive, advanced confidently.  He feinted with his left and drove hard with his right.  He knew that he gauged the distance carefully and he was unable to account for the fact that the blow failed to land.  A moment later he staggered back a trifle from a blow upon the side of the cheek.  Davis had outgeneraled him there.

There was not much force to the blow and Frank smiled.  Now Davis advanced, and, feinting rapidly with both hands, placed his right against Frank’s mouth.  But the lad had perceived the blow coming and stepped quickly backward, breaking the force of it, and was not hurt.  Before Davis could cover, the lad placed a hard right and left to Davis’ nose, bringing blood.  Davis gave ground.

Frank followed up this advantage quickly and followed his man around the room, striking out whenever opportunity offered.  Plainly Davis was becoming rattled.  He continued to retreat.  Now Frank backed him into a corner and drove a hard uppercut to the chin.  Davis’ head jerked backward and struck the hard wood of the wall.  Frank stepped back and allowed Davis to come out of the corner.

Davis, it could be plainly seen, was furiously angry; but he held himself in check, apparently realizing that victory depended upon coolness and caution.

Frank advanced swiftly, swung and missed by a fraction of an inch, as Davis jerked his head sharply to one side.  Before the lad could recover, Davis struck out viciously and landed flush on Frank’s jaw.  The lad staggered back, but before Davis could follow up his advantage, Frank covered and held his opponent off.  The blow had been the hardest of the fight so far.