Boxing.

It was with considerable trepidation that I went to visit MR. ARMOUR, our fifteen-stone boxing machine. However, "Orders is orders," and I slunk into his room with the usual proud though unhappy demeanour of a "Smad" reporter—which is considerable. But enogh of me, tell me of yourself.

"Of myself?" boomed Mr. Armour. "I shall win. Indubitably. Unless, of course, I meet someone better. In which case I shall lose."

Here I endeavoured to look amused, at the same time striving to attain the pained look of a fresher seeing Laurel and Hardy for the first time.

"The prospects are fair," he said getting down to business at last. "I'll go through the weights, giving you a running commentary.

"In the heavywieght, of course, there is myself," . . . here he broke off and smiled. A little coyly, I thought.

"It is difficult . . ." he said. "Leave it at that," I murmured. He beamed vaguely and went on, and on and on. "And the other weights?" I said at last.

"Of course," he said in an aggrieved tone, "I was coming to them."

"In the light-heavy, we have Barnes. He has a fair chance. He hits hard, and is quick. But he may meet someone better. I remember once when I . . ."

I coaxed him back. (Have you ever coaxed a fifteen-stone heavy-weight?)

"Then we have Edgley" he resumed. "He has fought in Varsity tournaments before. None of the other competitors have. Need I say more?" I assured him he needn't, not much.

But he was not to be put off. He became entangled in a mass of technical details. I dozed, when suddenly there shot through the air-no guess again-the name of one whom I knew to be our star turn-one Meek.

"Meek," thundered the oracle, "has about the best chance of all of us-well, yes, of all of us. He hits hard is a quick dodger, and above all keeps cool. He . . ."

According to Mr. Armour, there can be no doubt about Bro. Meek. He will undoubtedly land the eggs and bacon.

"Edwards is good, but inexperienced. O'Connor is a cert. Punch . . ." He waxed lyrical. I practised shorthand. Then after a two minutes' silence dedicated to the skill of Comrade O'Connor, we proceeded.

"Then was have Campbell. He is solid. He beat that well-known fighter, Goring-Johnston. What more can I say?"

"Nothing," I said quickly, but I was wrong.