The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1918-02-16

RlOP AAAtAS -, SO@
manded. "You want to betray us7
What you laughin' at?"
"Ep mack i'm mimmup," Verman
giggled.
"What's he mean?" asked Sam.
Penrod was more familiar with
Verman's u~tterance, 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, can We? And they'd find us
| anyhow, if we tried to. There's so
many of 'em against just us two, they
! a run in and touch him soon as
they get up to us-and then he'll be
after us again and
Listen here !" 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 'em all owe him, easy as nothin'.
Then we could gag him"
"No, we can't" said Penrod. "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, 1 bet they
wouldn't get him back so soon!"
EgCs.-1- -L.-I.gst g.. -@o4l -
compromising.
1T makes 'em go to sleep, no matter
what you do to EN-" Penrod tx
planned. "That's the main and simple
reason they can't wake up, and you
cal 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" PeLrod said
gloomily. "We haven't got any O. that
stuff SO we can't do it."
"Well, we got to do sumpthing,"
said Sam.
His comrade agreed, and there was
a thoughtful silence, but presently
Penrod's countenance frightened.
II knowl" he exclaimed. 81 know
what Wen do with him. Why, 1
thought of it just as easyi 1 can
most always think of things like that,
for the main and simple reason-well,
I thought of it just as DON"
EIIyo1I --ho+ &c ;+op Cow demanded
GROSSLY. Penrod's reiteration 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, a gesture which was
unnecessary but had a good appear
ance. He looked all round about him
in this. manner, finally vouchsaing a
report to the impatient Sam.
mo enemies in sight-just for the
main and simple reason l expect
they're all in the alley and in George
Bassett's back yard"
81 bet they're mott" Sam said scorn-
fully, his irritation much increased.
GLOW do you know so much about
it?'
"Just for the main and simple rea-
SON" Penrod replied. with dignified
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
it almost resulted in action, but Sam
had a vague sense that he must con-
troll it as long as he could.
"Bugs!" he said.
Penrod was sensitive, and this cold
word hurt him. However, he was IN
der the domination of his strategic
idea, and he subordinated private
grievance to the common veal. sect
upr" he commanded. "You get up,
too, Verman. You got to-it's the
rule. Now here-Tll show you what
we're goin' 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 q
STOPPING position in imitation of him,
| Verman was delighted with this
phase of the game, and, also, he was
profoundly amused by Periods pom
posity. Something dim and deep with
in him perceived it to be cause fol
such merriment hat he had ado tc
master himself, and was forced to bot
tie and cork his laughter with botf
hands. They proved insufficient
| sputterings burst forth between hi'
fingers.
you stop that!" said Penrod, look
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