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The two took their positions with wooden knives and Ohnimus’ knife point began to dance before the reporter’s eyes. A few seconds of this during which Ohnimus constantly shifted his position, then the man who understood knives dashed his hat into his opponent’s face and at the same instant brought his knife against his breast.

“That is an old trick,” he said. ”A man must do it awful quick. His adversary must not see his hand move to his hat. That hand must go even faster than the one that holds the knife.”

“How would you avoid that if someone tried it on you?”

“By jumping sideways, backward or dodging. Fighting with knives is like boxing and everything else. Every attack has its defense, but the quickest and coolest man can, of course, sometimes get in a thrust even if the other man knows how it ought to be stopped – like La Blanche’s swing that knocked Dempsey out. I remember a case. Lightning Jake was about as good a knifeman as I ever saw. He beat numbers of great fighters. Well, one day a young fellow got into a dispute with him, and both drew their knives. Jake had fought so many good men that he was always looking for fancy work and the young fellow poked out like a farmer and got him.

Now I’ll show you how to meet a thrust. Let drive!”

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