The Hellfire Conspiracy by Will Thomas

Author:Will Thomas
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 2007-10-06T04:00:00+00:00

17

“LIFT YOUR GUARD, TOMMY.”

Barker had sent me on to McClain’s as soon as breakfast was over. The time grew short until the match.

“What, so you can batter my liver again?” I asked the reverend, bobbing and weaving.

“Liver, kidneys—makes no difference, boyo.”

I ducked and lashed out but caught Handy Andy only on one of his stony shoulders.

“Don’t you have anyone my size?” I asked.

“All the kiddies are still abed.”

“You should be in the music hall. Boxing and comedy in one act.”

“And anyway,” he went on as if he hadn’t heard, “your opponent isn’t your size, as I understand it.”

“Is there any chance—Ow!”

McClain had got one over my flimsy guard and caught me across the brow. “Quit jawing while I’m smiting you.”

I hopped ’round the ring, sweating like a horse after a mile run. This was no way to win a match against anybody. Twenty-two, and I was to be cut down in the prime of life. I tried to get by; and suddenly I was against the ropes, Andrew McClain hammering me in the stomach and ribs, with an occasional smack to the jaw and nose. I couldn’t take much more of this. In fact, I didn’t. My opponent hooked me with a right to the ear, and the next I knew I was down on one knee, shaking my head. McClain lifted me by the shoulders and dropped me down on the wooden stool in the corner.

“It’s a good thing your boss isn’t here. He’s not overjoyed about this challenge you’ve gotten yourself into and wouldn’t have gone as easy on you as I have.”

“You call this easy?”

“Aye. Break’s over,” he said, kicking the stool out from under me. “Time for another round.”

“This isn’t doing me any good!”

“This will be just a walk in the park compared to what your opponent will give you. I’ve been asking about a little. Nice jab.”

I’d managed to tap him on the jaw. It was the first clean hit I’d made since the sparring had started.

“And?”

“General opinion is that Clay is good. Drinks too much and has an eye for female flesh, but so far it hasn’t affected his skills. Strictly amateur, of course. I don’t want to scare you, but you’ll have to do better than this.”

“Teach me how to fight, then. I already know how to get hit.”

“Just reminding you. Barker’s been teaching you that Chinese wrestling, and it’s good, don’t get me wrong; but if you are gonna wear these pillows on your mitts, you’d better learn you some good, old-fashioned John Bull boxing.”

He caught me square on the nose then, and that was the end of the match. I began to bleed like a faucet. The reverend moved me to the stool and held my head back so the blood could flow down my throat, although how that was an improvement, I couldn’t see.

“Let me get out of these mitts and I’ll mop your face proper, Tommy boy. You know, your right’s not bad, but your left is all over the place.

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