, 1917-11-29

1ouSiy.
"Stop that noisel" Penrod COM
manded. you want to betray us?
What you laughin' att"
"Ep mack i'm mimmup," Verman
giggled.
whats he menu2" asked Sam.
Penrod was more familiar with
Verman's %utterance, and he inter-
preted.
HE says they'll get him back in q
minute"
mo, they won't. I'd just like to
see"
Eyes, they will, too" said Penrod.
They'll get him back for the main
and simple reason we can't stay here
all day, a we? And they'd find us
anyhow. if we tried to. There's so
many of 'em against just us two, they
can run in and touch him soon as
they get up to us-and then he'll be
after us again and"
listen herer" Sam interrupted.
"Why can't we put some real bonds
on him? We could put bonds on his
wrists and around his legs-we could
put EN- all over him, easy as nothin'.
Then we could gag him"
mo, we can't" said Penrod. 1--WE
can't, for the main and simple reason
we haven't got any rope or anything
to make the bonds with, have we? I
wish we had some o. that stuff they
give sick people. Then, / bet they
wouldn't get him back so soon!"
"Sick people?" Sam repeated, not
compromising.
at makes 'em go to sleep, no matter
what you do to EN-" Pehrod ex-
planned. "That's the main and simple
reason they can't wake up, INT you
can cut off their whole legs--or their
arms, or anything you want to-"
"Hoy!" exclaimed Verman, in a
serious tone. His laughter ceased in
stantly, and he began to utter a pro-
test sufficiently Ineligible.
you needn't worry" Penrod said
gloomily. 1--WE haven't got any O. thai
stuff so we can't do it."
swell. we got to do sumpthing,"
said Sam.
His comrade agreed, and there was
a thoughtful silence, but presently
Penrod's countenance frightened.
~ known" he exclaimed. 81 know
what We'll do with him. Why, 1
thought of 1t just as easyl 1 can
most always think of things like that,
for the main and simple reason-well,
1 thought of 1t just as soon"
"Well what is it2" Sam demanded
GROSSLY. Periods re~iteration of his
new-found phrase, 'for the main and
simple reason" had been growing
more and more irksome to his friend
all day, though Sam was not definite
ly aware that the phrase was the
cause of his annoyance. "What are
we goin' to do with. him, you know so
much?"
Penrod rose and peered over the
tops of the bushes, shading his eyes
with his hand, n gesture which was
unnecessary but had n good appear
ance. He looked all round about him
in this manner, finally vouchsafing n
report to the impatient Sam.
"No enemies in sight-just for the
main and simple reason 1 expect
they're all in the alley and in George
Bassett's back yard"
81 bet they're not !" Sam said scorn-
fully, his irritation much increased.
How do you know so much about
it?'
"Just for the main and simple rea-
SON." Penrod replied, with dignifed
finality.
And at that, Sam felt a powerful
impulse to do violence upon the per-
son Of his comrade-in-arms. The emo
ton which prompted this impulse was
so primitive and straightforward that
1t almost resulted in action, but Sam
had a vague sense that he must con-
troll 1t as long as he could.
"BugsI" he said.
Penrod was sensitive, and this cold
word hurt him. However, he was I'M
der the domination of his strategic
idea, and he su%bordinated private
grievance to the common veal. Get
upr" he commanded. "You get up,
too, Verman. You got to-it's the
rule. Now here-TH show you what
we're goln' to do. Stoop over, and
both o. you do just exackly like I do.
You watch me, because this biz'nuss
has got to be done right"
Sam muttered something; he was
becoming more insurgent every mo-
ment, but he obeyed. Likewise, YER
man rose to his feet. ducked his head
between his shoulders, and trotted out
to the sidewalk at Sans heels, both
following Penrod and assuming n
STOPPING position in imitation of him.
Verman was delighted with this
phase of the game, and, also, he was
profoundly amused by Periods POM
poslty. Something dim and deep with
in him perceived 1t to be cause for
such merriment that he had ado to
master himself, and was forced to bot
| tie and cork his lnurhter with hnth