uced no greater effect.

"There!" he panted, desisting finally. "NOW I reckon you know whether I
been up there or not!"

Herman rubbed his smitten cheek. "Pow!" he exclaimed. "Pow-ee! You
cert'ny did lan' me good one NAT time! Oo-ee! she HURT!"

"You'll get hurt worse'n that," Penrod assured him, "if you stay around
here much. Rupe Collins is comin' this afternoon, he said. We're goin'
to make some policemen's billies out of the rake handle."

"You go' spoil new rake you' pa bought?"

"What do WE care? I and Rupe got to have billies, haven't we?"

"How you make 'em?"

"Melt lead and pour in a hole we're goin' to make in the end of 'em.
Then we're goin' to carry 'em in our pockets, and if anybody says
anything to us--OH, oh! look out! They won't get a crack on the
head--OH, no!"

"When's Rupe Collins coming?" Sam Williams inquired rather uneasily.
He had heard a great deal too much of this personage, but as yet the
pleasure of actual acquaintance had been denied him.

"He's liable to be here any time," answered Penrod. "You better look
out. You'll be lucky if you get home alive, if you stay till HE comes."

"I ain't afraid of him," Sam returned, conventionally.

"You are, too!" (There was some truth in the retort.) "There ain't any
boy in this part of town but me that wouldn't be afraid of him. You'd be
afraid to talk to him. You wouldn't get a word out of your mouth before
old Rupie'd have you where you'd wished you never come around HIM,
lettin' on like you was so much! YOU wouldn't run home yellin' 'Mom-muh'
or nothin'! OH, no!"

"Who Rupe Collins?" asked Herman.

"'Who Rupe Collins?'" Penrod mocked, and used his rasping laugh, but,
instead of showing fright, Herman appeared to think he was meant to
laugh, too; and so he did, echoed by Verman. "You just hang around here
a little while longer," Penrod added, grimly, "and you'll find out who
Rupe Collins is, and I pity YOU when you do!"

"What he go' do?"

"You'll see; that's all! You just wait and----"

At this moment a brown hound ran into the stable through the alley door,
wagged a greeting to Penrod, and fraternized with Duke. The fat-faced
boy appeared upon the threshold and gazed coldly about the little
company in the carriage-house, whereupon the coloured brethren, ceasing
from merriment, were instantly impassive, and Sam Williams moved a
little nearer the door leading into the yard.

Obviously, Sam regarded the newcomer as a redoubtable if n