“Why not, Eton?” George asked. “Scared you’ll lose?”

“Scared?” Frederick huffed. “Of losing to you? I bet you’ve never even held a pair of boxing gloves before, much less worn them.”

“You’re right,” George said, pulling on a glove. “I’ve always boxed bare-knuckled.”

Frederick’s smug smile crumbled under the amused laughter of the soldiers who’d gathered around the boys.

“Enough talking,” Bagger said. “Get your gloves on and let’s get started.” He tossed two more pairs to Thomas and Charlie.

“We’re all boxing?” Thomas asked.

“A few rounds in the ring will get rid of the nerves and anger you lads have built up in the tunnels. You’ll feel better after. I always do.”

Thomas shrugged and started pulling on the gloves, but Charlie didn’t move.

“What’s wrong, Mouse?” Bagger asked. “Gloves don’t fit?”

“No, they’re fine. It’s just—” Charlie swallowed hard and, without looking up at Bagger, handed the gloves back to the clay kicker. “I’d rather not fight, if that’s all right.”

Bagger huffed and shoved the gloves back into Charlie’s hands. “You’re a soldier, Mouse. This is war. You need to be ready and willing to fight at all times.”

Charlie stared down at the gloves. “But I don’t know how.”

“All the more reason for you to get in the ring.” Bagger pointed back toward the trenches. “Because when we come across the enemy in those galleries, which we will, if you don’t fight, you’re dead, and you’ll probably take some of us with you. Now put on the gloves.”

Minutes later, Bagger stood in the center of a large circle of soldiers eager to place bets on the next fight.

“We’ve got some rookies here today, fellas,” he announced. “So I’m gonna give them a few pointers before we get started.” He motioned to Charlie. “You first, Mouse.”

Charlie tried to step back, but George shoved him inside the circle of soldiers. “Go get ’im, Mouse!”

“Keep your hands up at all times.” Bagger said, grabbing Charlie’s gloved hands and lifting them in front of the boy’s chest and face. “You drop your hands, you give your opponent a target.” Releasing the gloves, he stepped back into a defensive stance, facing Charlie. “Don’t plant your feet. Keep moving.” He began to bounce on the balls of his feet, dancing around his terrified opponent. “A moving target is harder to hit.”

“Come on, Mouse!” George yelled. “You can outmaneuver that old man!”

Bagger shot George a warning glance. “Watch it, Shillings. You’re next.”

George smiled. “Looking forward to it, sir, Bagger, sir.” He gave him a cockeyed salute before winking at Frederick.

Frederick glared back.

Bagger addressed the boys as he started dancing around Charlie again. Hands shaking, Charlie pivoted in a circle, following the crew leader’s movements and shrinking into himself like a scared turtle.

Bagger placed his gloved hands on Charlie’s shoulders and gave him a rough shake. “Stay loose, Mouse. It looks like your ears are trying to eat your shoulders.”

Everyone laughed except Charlie, whose face turned sallow and clammy.