Boy's Cinema (1935-39)

6 "Yes, his nose might bleed and spoil my carpet." Aunt Fanny showed signs of keen interest. "You want to match Don against " "lie's trying to pull your ear for a (•inch," shouted Madigan. "He's trying to swing " "Be quiet!" snapped Aunt Fanny. " You weren't, I suppose? Well, my d( al with you is off. You'd better go." "Don't "worry, I'll go." Madigan picked up his hat. "There's a distinct odour of old pug about this room." "But for you, lady, I'd have slaught- i red him,'' growled Bill when the door had closed. "One day I'm going to give him such a sock in the jaw." "Take it easy." Aunt Fanny moved so that he could sit down beside her on the "couch. "Come and tell me exactly wdiat you want." Bill Adams explained that he fancied Don against the Sailor, but there was one drawback—money. He required money to hire the Town Hall, and also for. a deposit to the printers. Without hesitation, Mrs. Stafford agreed to finance the fight, but expressed a desire Lo see Don on a work-out. Bill agreed on the morrow. Ann appeared and seemed very in- terested in hearing all about Don Carter. Bill told the girl what an im- proved fighter Don had become, and that every day he did a work-out on a certain quiet stretch of road. "I suppose a car would make a good pace-maker?" asked Ann. "Sure," agreed Bill, and wondered v hy Aunt Fanny gave her niece such a sharp glance. Next morning Mrs. Stafford arrived at the barn good and early, and after a look round the training quarters, asked for Don. Bill answered that Don v. as out on his road work. "Let's go and find him." "Suits me," agreed Bill, who had sighted the obnoxious landlord hovering in the background. In a quiet country lane Aunt Fanny pulled up the car and they got. out to wait for the runner. At last a small -ports car appeared and behind ran a sweatered figure. It was Don and the driver of the small car was Ann. "Just pure chance I met him, auntie/' innocently explained the girl. "I offered to pace him." "Pure chance." Aunt Fanny shrugged her shoulders. "Fancy trying to tell that sout of nonsense to me." She glanced at the slightly breathless runner. "Hum, you have filled out." "Don't you think he looks grand?" oied Bill. "Certainly looks better," agreed Aunt Fanny, and came closer. "Useful legs." Sho touched his arms. "Yes, pretty good development. Not bad, Bill Adams. I.el's get back to your training quarters and we'll talk this over." She looked r niece and Don. "You two can follow, and when I say follow, I mean fellow." They got fo the barn, and there was i he confounded landlord. "I want to know when " "Go away," muttered Bill. "You're spoiling things Harry, if he won't go clock him." Very businesslike. Aunt Fanny sat down at a table. "Now, you propose to hire the Town Hall, advertise, and do everything to this light a success. You'll need some brass to promoto the fight." She d her bag. "Take this cheque. I it out before I came here. It should bo enough to meet all expenses." Bill Adams took the cheque and stared at it as if it were too good to be true. He began to dream of hiring the Albert Hall. March 14tn, 1936. BOY'S CINEMA ( The Fight—and What a Finish! THE Banbury Town Hall was packed. There were a number of small fights, but the main feature was a ten-round contest between Sailor Lewis and Don Carter. In ringside seats were Mrs. Stafford and Ann, the former quietly confident and the other terribly worried and ex- cited. Sitting in ringside seats on the other side of the roped square was Madigan and a fair-haired woman, hand- some, but the expression was. hard. Directly behind them sat Big Bob keffe, who had come to the Town Hall to see the man who had taken his place get a pasting. "Fancy coming to this place." The woman looked round disdainfully. "I didn't know ploughmen could box." "There may be a Dempsey here—you never can tell." Madigan puffed at a hugo cigar. "You're wrong, gnv'nor, if ye expect to find anything here to-night." Buffer had heard. " You can't match a kid amatoor against an old-timer like Lewis and expect to sec a fight." "What do you expect to sec?" rasped Madigan. "A blooming massacre." "Don't be too sure." Madigan settled back in his seat. "And Lewis is past his prime." The preliminary bouts were over, and the crowd craned their necks to see the fighters enter the ring for the next bout. They looked at the slim figure of Don Carter and compared it with the mighty tat toed sailor, and decided the youngster hadn't a chance. "Keep away from him in the first three rounds," Bill Adams advised. "If you get a chance use yer left jab—but get him winded fiiet. Get the idea?" Aunt Fanny left her seat to come round to Don's corner. "I've just taken a squint at the Sailor. Boy, he's your meat—just waiting for the skewer. Wade right into him while you're fresh, kid. Use your right hook and you'll knock him cold in the first round." '"Ere, wait a minute!" cried Bill. "I'm giving orders and " Aunt Fanny inspected Bill through her lorgnettes, and then glowered at his yellow tie. "Your tie, Mr. Adams, is like an in- toxicated rainbow." Then Ann appeared to whisper shyly : "Good luck, Don!" "Thanks, Ann!" Don smiled at her. "Don't you worry." Bill Adam got rid of them. "Listen—you ain't taking orders from no petticoats, see? You just do as I told you—stay with him for the first three rounds. Get me?" The announcer had been talking all this while about the many famous people thai were patronising the Banbury Town Hall that night, and liking the sound of his own voice would have carried on if the crowd had not made it clear that they had come to see a fight and not heal him talk. Just before the fight started the hall manager came round to report that the takings had beaten the last record by fifty pounds, and that made Bill Adams rub his hands together. Don Cartel- shook hands with his oppo- nent, and decided that he did not like this hairy boxer with the battered nose, cauliflower ears and tattoed <lic -t. Perhaps it would he best to take Mis. Stafford's advice and go for his man while he was fresh. Don waited in his corner for the gong. The gong went and Don came out of his corner not knowing what tactics the Sailor would adopt. The Sailor rushed and landed a stinging punch to Don's Evt^ Tuesday ribs. That shook Don, and he jumped clear. The Sailor lushed to the attack, and then Don slammed home a punch to the jaw, this he followed with a whirlwind of jabs and hooks. The be- wildered Sailor Lewis vainly attempted to protect himself, but his defence was weak, and Don's blows had hurt. Before a rasping right hook to the jaw Sailor Lewis toppled backwards and crashed full length to the canvas. The young boxer stared in amazement at his fallen foe. " One — two — three — four—five—six— seven—eight—nine— ten. OUT!" sho the referee. Don Carter had won his first fight in just over one minute. "Grand! Grand!" shouted Bill Adams, who did not mind that Don had disobeyed orders as he had won. " What a punch Don gave him!" But the crowd were disappointed. They had come there to see a battlo of giants that would last at least six of the ten rounds, and instead they had scon a scrap that had lasted a minute. Someone in the crowd shouted: "Call that a fight!" Instantly someone else cried: "Lewis didn't try!" Big Bob Ituffer, venomous and dis- appointed not to see Carter bashed to pulp, realised in his evil mind that hero was the chance to make trouble. "The fight was squared!" he roared. "It's a frame-up!" Equally turbulent and rowdy members of the crowd sided with him, and the situation became ugly. "Ask Lewis how much he took to lie down !" bellowed Ruffer. People began to knock over chairs and shout "Crooks! Frame up! Swindlers!" And other remarks of a very offensive nature. The hall manager climbed into the ring and tried to restore order. The Eerplexed Bill Adams came and stood y his side. They shouted "Order!" but without any result. "I'll hold you responsible, Mr. Adams, for any damage done to the hall!" cried the manager. "Gentlemen!" Bill shouted. "The fight was perfectly fair!" "Liar!" shouted Ruffer. "Give us our money back!" The crowd began to chant: "We want our money back! We want our money back!" The manager saw his beautiful hall being wrecked, and raised his hands. "Quiet, please! We don't want any damage. Anyone who wants his money back can have it!" '"Ere, 'arf a minute!'' cried Bill. "That's my money you're giving back, you know. "You're not in a boxing-booth now," the manager answered coldly. "1; you want a hill for a new Town Hall just say so." Madigan had managed to get out of the hall, and he took the fail'-h woman's arm. "Thar was no frame-up. That knock- it was as clean as a whistle." He's almost in Williams' class, isn't he?" "A few more performances like this and he'll be challenging Willi,, " Williams would kill him." "The kid would kill Williams, you mean!" retorted Madigan. "Wh.,i | ie you going to do about "Lucille.'' Madigan (buckled. "I always believe in walking up lo trouble. The sooner he meets Williams the better." "But " "So whilst I get busy fixing up tho fight, you're going to work on Don t'aiier." lb -queezed her arm. "Get the idea?" ,iu