He was a good gouger, and had marked up most of the boys on the "flats" as we called the lowlands where the poorer working people lived.

A gouger is one who stabs with his thumb.

When he gets his sharp thumb-nail into the victim's eye, the fight is over.

Biting and kicking were his second lines of attack.
As we walked along I was depressed by the thought that I was badly outclassed.

There was only one thing in my favor.