Evening star., 1918-06-23
, SAYS 1. sHOW FOOLISH,n

he steps around, inspectS the inside OF
the shanty, and then sQueezes him.
self through the door. At that, he
wasn't all the way in. but by the
time he had match goin' I'd got my
nerve back.
"Ah. take the limit. Cap'n," says I.
With that 1 plants one foot fmpul-
sive right where he was widest, gives
a quick shove, slams the door shut be-
hind him, and snaps the big paddock
through the hasp.
Hey" he sings out startled. What
the
Now don't get messy, Cap" says I.
You're in, amt you? Smoke up and
be happy"
"You-you loafer! he gurgles throaty.
'NWhat-what do you mean?"
Just playful little prank. Cap"
says !: Don't get excited. You're
Maybe he was. But some folks
don't appreciate little attentions like
that. The Cap'n starts in bumpin'
and thrashin' violent in there. like
pup that's crawled into a drain pipe
on the wall. with his fists. throws his
weight against the door, and tries to
kick his way out.
But the section boss must have
used rail spikes and reinforced the
studdin' with fish-plates when he built
tHdl Soop loI bdIiiy, VI clSC thC VIZ
Hun was too tight fit to get full
play for his strength. And all he did
was to make the little house rock un-
til you'd thought Long Island was en-
1oyln young earthquake. Mean
while stands by. ready to do sprint
If he should break loose. and offers
more or less cheerin' advice.
Easy with your elbows in there.
Cap" says ]. you're assaultin' rail-
road property, you know, and If you
do any damage you can be pinched for
malicious mischief"
quick" he roars. Il gotta get back"
"Oa. you'll get to town all right"
says 1. TN promise you that"
'Loafer" he snorts.
Say. how do you know I amt
sensitive on that pointer says I.
You might hurt my feelin's."
G-r-r" says he. Il would wiring
your neck"
Such a disposition" says
Oh, yes, we swapped quite a little
repartee, me and the cap'n, or what
ever he was. Eut, instead of his bein'
soothed by it he gets more strenuous
rockin' like boat.
Next thing / saw was one of his
big feet stickin' out under the bottom
Sill. Then I>rememi1ers thai the
sentry box has only dirt fioor-on
account OIL the stove, L expect.
Course, Danny has banked the out
side up with sod for five or six inches,
but that amt enough to hold it
down with human tornado cuttin'
loose inside. A minute more and
another foot appears on the other
side. and the next l knew the whole
shootin match begins to rise, wabbly
but sure, until he's lifted it almost to
his knees.
Looked like the cap'n was goin' to
shed the coop over his head, as you'd
shuck shirt, and I was edgfn' away
prepared to make run for 1t. But
right there the elevatin process stops,
and after some violent squirms there
comes an outburst Of language that
would only get the delete sign If 1
should give it. 1 could dope out
what had happened. That plank seat
across one side had caught the cap'n
about where he buckles his belt, and
he couldn't bulge it any further.
Want shoe horn, Cap'n?" 1 asks
Say, next time you try wearin' a
kiosk as a slip-on sweater you'd bet
ter train down for the act"
"G-r-r" says he. II will teach
you to play your Jokes on me, young
whippersnapper!'
He does some more writhin', and
pretty soon manages to swing open
one of the portfolios. With his face
up to that, like a deep-sea diver
peekin' out Of his copper bonnet, he
starts for me, kickin' over the little