As they touched gloves, Harris said:

"You're a nice boy. I don't want to hurt you too much, so I'll make
this short"--the referee had announced that the match was to be for ten
rounds.

"Don't worry about me," said Jack. "I can take care of myself. If the
match is short you won't find me on the deck."

Harris would have replied, but at that moment the referee called:

"Time!"

Jack leaped lightly backward even as Harris aimed a vicious blow at his
head, apparently trying to make good his word to end the battle at
once. The blow missed Jack's face by the fraction of an inch. Harris
followed up this blow with a right and left, which Jack blocked neatly,
and then brought his right up, trying to upper cut.

Jack leaped backward and the blow grazed his chin. Before Harris could
recover, Jack stepped quickly forward and planted a sharp right and a
hard left to Harris' nose. Harris stepped back and wiped away a stream
of red.

It was first blood for Jack and the crew of the _Queen Mary_ sent up a
wild cheer.

But Harris only smiled. He was not to be caught so easily again.

These two blows had given the _Indefatigable_ champion some respect for