"Did you ever see such a chap?" said Smith to Saunders. "Let's call the
thing off."
"Nonsense," said the latter. "Wait till he's knocked insensible"; and
the rest of the spectators expressed their agreement with him.
Just then a sound of marching was heard, and a company of cadets were
seen coming up the hill in command of an army officer.
"Hullo, Clark," whispered Smith. "Stop the fight. Here comes old
Blair, and he may report us."
"Not much," said Clark. "He'll mind his own business."
The company approached within a few yards of the ring.
"Eyes right!" shouted Captain Blair, and every man in the company
turned his eyes away from the assembled crowd, and Blair himself stared
into the woods on the other side of the path. The company had almost
passed out of sight when Blair's voice was heard again.
"Front!" and the danger of detection had blown over.
After this faint interruption, Sam was brought up once more, pale and
bloody, and hardly able to stand. Yet he smiled through the blood.
Starkie stood off and gave him his _coup de grace_, a full blow in the
solar plexus, which doubled him up quite unconscious on the ground.
Clark declared the fight finished, and the crowd broke up hastily,
leaving Cleary and his associate to get Sam away as best they could.
They had a pail of water, sponges and towels, and they bathed his
face; and after half an hour's work were rewarded by having him open
his eyes.
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