Part 63 (1/2)

Over-confidence betrayed him. Joe's right was waiting. The slender figure was lifted clean from the floor by the impact. He crashed down in a heap and, rolling over, lay on his face, twitching.

A roar broke from the spectators. That was what they wanted.

Bela ran out from her corner, distracted. Musq'oosis intercepted her.

”No place for girl,” he said sternly. ”Go back.”

”He's dead! He's dead!” she cried wildly.

”Fool! Only got wind knocked out!” He thrust her back to her place by the door.

Big Jack was stooping over the prostrate figure, counting with semaph.o.r.e strokes of his arm: ”One! Two! Three!”

The spectators began to think it was all over, and the tension let down. Joe grinned, albeit wearily. There was not much left in him.

Meanwhile Sam's brain was working with perfect clearness. He stirred cautiously.

”Nothing broken,” he thought. ”Take nine seconds for wind enough to keep away till the end of the round. Then you have him!”

At the count of nine he sprang up, and the spectators roared afresh.

Joe, surprised, went after him without overmuch heart. Sam managed to escape further punishment.

A growing weariness now made Joe's attacks spasmodic and wild. He was working his arms as if his hands had leaden weights attached to them.

A harrowing anxiety appeared in his eyes. At the sight of it a little spring of joy welled up in Sam's breast.

”Pretty near all in, eh?” he said. ”You're going to get licked, and you know it! There's fear in your eye. You always had a yellow streak.

Crying Joe Hagland!”

Joe, missing a wild swing, fell of his own momentum amid general laughter. Derision ate the heart out of him. He rose with a hunted look in his eyes. Sam suddenly took the offensive, and rained a fusillade of blows on the damaged eye, the heart, the kidneys. Joe, taken by surprise, put up a feeble defence.

The next round was the last. Around Caribou Lake they still talk about it. A miracle took place before their eyes. David overcame Goliath at his own game. Jack beat down the giant. At the referee's word, Sam sprang from his corner like a whirlwind, landing right and left before Joe's guard was up.

The weary big man was beaten to his knees. Struggling up, he tried to clinch, only to be met by another smas.h.i.+ng blow in the face. He turned to escape, but the dancing figure with the battering fists was ever in front of him.

He went down again, and, stretching out on the floor, began to blubber aloud in his confusion and distress.

”He's had enough,” said Sam grimly.

The result was received in the silence of surprise. A few laughed at the spectacle Joe made. Others merely shrugged. The victory was not a popular one.

Big Jack went through the formality of counting, though it was patent to all that the fighting was done. Afterward he turned to Sam and shook his hand.

”I didn't think you had it in you,” he said.

This was sweet to Sam.

Joe raised himself, snivelling, and commenced to revile Sam.

”Aw, shut up!” cried Big Jack, with strong disgust. ”You're licked!”