ns closely connected with complaints of cruel and unusual
treatment; while certain expressions of feeling presently emanating from
Herman and Verman indicated that Rupe Collins, in this extremity, was
proving himself not too slavishly addicted to fighting by rule. Dan and
Duke, mistaking all for mirth, barked gayly.

From the panting, pounding, yelling heap issued words and phrases
hitherto quite unknown to Penrod and Sam; also, a hoarse repetition
in the voice of Rupe concerning his ear left it not to be doubted
that additional mayhem was taking place. Appalled, the two spectators
retreated to the doorway nearest the yard, where they stood dumbly
watching the cataclysm.

The struggle increased in primitive simplicity: time and again the
howling Rupe got to his knees only to go down again as the earnest
brothers, in their own way, assisted him to a more reclining position.
Primal forces operated here, and the two blanched, slightly higher
products of evolution, Sam and Penrod, no more thought of interfering
than they would have thought of interfering with an earthquake.

At last, out of the ruck rose Verman, disfigured and maniacal. With a
wild eye he looked about him for his trusty rake; but Penrod, in horror,
had long since thrown the rake out into the yard. Naturally, it had not
seemed necessary to remove the lawn-mower.

The frantic eye of Verman fell upon the lawn-mower, and instantly
he leaped to its handle. Shrilling a wordless war-cry, he charged,
propelling the whirling, deafening knives straight upon the prone
legs of Rupe Collins. The lawn-mower was sincerely intended to pass
longitudinally over the body of Mr. Collins from heel to head; and it
was the time for a death-song. Black Valkyrie hovered in the shrieking
air.

"Cut his gizzud out!" shrieked Herman, urging on the whirling knives.

They touched and lacerated the shin of Rupe, as, with the supreme agony
of effort a creature in mortal peril puts forth before succumbing, he
tore himself free of Herman and got upon his feet.

Herman was up as quickly. He leaped to the wall and seized the
garden-scythe that hung there.

"I'm go to cut you' gizzud out," he announced definitely, "an' eat it!"

Rupe Collins had never run from anybody (except his father) in his life;
he was not a coward; but the present situation was very, very unusual.
He was already in a badly dismantled condition, and yet Herman and
Verman seemed discontented with their work: Verm