The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-01-12

something repelIent and threatening IL
the heavy blue steel.
Thus does the ng-dreamed real
misbehave-not only for Penrod!
More out of a sense of duty to bling,
ism in general than for any other rea,
son. he pointed the revolver at the
lawn-mower, and gloomily murmured,
"Bingw
Simultaneously, low and cautious
voice sounded from the yard outside,
"Yay, Penrod!" and Sam Williams
darkened the doorway, his eye falling
instantly upon the weapon in his
friends hand. Sam seemed relieved to
see it,
You didn't get caught with 1t. did
you" he said hastily.
Penrod shook his head, rising.
II guess not. l guess l got some
brains around me-" he added. inspired
by Sans presence to assume a slight
swagger They'd have to get up pref
~ early to find any good ole revolaver.
once l got my hands on 1t :"
II guess We can keep II, all right
Sam said confidentially. Because this
morning papa was putting on his win
ter underclothes and he found 1t wasn't
there, and they looked all over and ev-
erywhere, and he was pretty mad, and
salt. he knew 1t was those cheap plumb
ers stole It that mamma got instead OF
the regular plumbers he always used to
have, and he said there wasn't any
chance ever gettin' 1t back, because
you couldn't tell which one took 1t,
and they'd all swear 1t wasn't them
So it looks like we could keep it for
our REVOLVER, Penrod, don't 1t? I'll
give you half Of It,"
Penrod affected some enthusiasm.
"Sam' Wen keep it out here in the
stable"
Eyes, and Wen go huntin' with 1t.
Well do lots Of things with it," But
Sam made no effort to take it, and
neither boy seemed to feel yesterdays
necessity to show the other how he
did. "Wait till next Fourth O. July!"
Sam continued. "Oh, oh! Look OUT"
This invited genuine spark from
Penrod.
Fourth o. July! l guess she'll be
little better than any firecrackers Just
little 'Bing! Bing! Bling" she'll be
goin'. Bling. Bling! Bing'"
The suggestion of noise stirred his
comrade. "Tll bet she'll go off louder'n
that time the gas-works blew up!
wouldn't be afraid to shoot her off any
time"
II bet you would" said Penrod. you
| aren't used to revolaverS the way /"
You aren't, either!" Sam exclaimed
promptly. 81 wouldn't be any more
afraid to shoot her off than you would"
you would, too!'
II would mott"
swell, let's see you then; you talk
so much!" And Penrod handed the
weapon scornfully to Sam, who at once
became less self-assertive.
"Td shoot her off in minute" Sam
said, "only 1t might break sumpthing If
1t hit It,"
Hold her up in the air, then. 1t
can't hurt the roof, can it?'
Sam. with a desperate expression,
lifted the revolver at arms length.
Both boys turned away their heads,
and Penrod put his fingers in his ears
but nothing happened. whats the
matter?" he demanded. "Why don't
you go on If you're goin' top
Sam lowered his arm. Il guess I
didn't have her cooked" he said apollo
getically, whereupon Penrod loudly
jeered.
"Tryin' to shoot revolaver and
didn't know enough to cock her! If l
didn't know any more about revolavers
than that I'd"
"There!" Sam exclaimed, managing
to draw back the hammer until two
chilling clicks warranted his opinion
that the pistol was now ready to per-
form it's office. 81 guess she'll do all
right to suit you this time"
"Well, why'n't you go ahead then;
you know so much" And as Sam
raised his arm, Penrod again turned
away his head and placed his forcing
ers in his ears.
A pause followed.
"Why'n't you go aheadT'
PenrOd, after waiting in keen sus-
pense. turned to behold his friend
standing with his right arm above his
head, his left hand over his left ear,
and both eyes closed.
II can't pull the trigger" said Sam
indistinctly, his face convulsed as In
sympathy with the great muscular eff
forts Of other parts Of his body. "She
won't pull"
"She won't" Penrod remarked with |
scorn. "Tll bet could pull her.
Sam promptly opened his eyes and |
handed the weapon to Penrod.
"All right" he said, with surprising
and unusual mildness. "You try her,
then"
Inwardly discounted to a disagree
able extent, Penrod attempted to talk
his own misgivings out of counten-
ance.
Poor little baby!" he said, swinging
the pistol at his side with fair pre-
tense Of careless ease. "Ain't even
strong enough to pull trigger! Poor
little baby! Well, If you can't even do
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