fearful, intangible Horror--this would be sheer amusement and
recreation. What could mere man do to _him_, much less mere boy! Why,
the most awful torture-chamber of the Holy Inquisition of old was a
pleasant recreation-room compared with _any_ place where the Snake
could enter.

Oh, if the Snake could only be met and fought in the open with free
hands and untrammelled limbs, as Bully Harberth could!

Oh, if it could only inflict mere physical pain instead of such
agonies of terror as made the idea of any bodily injury--mere cutting,
burning, beating, blinding--a trifling nothing-at-all. Anyhow, he
could _imagine_ that Bully Harberth was the Snake or Its emissary and,
since he was indirectly brought upon him by the Snake, regard him as a
myrmidon--and deal with him accordingly....

"How do you like this?" inquired that young gentleman as he suddenly
seized the seated and unsuspecting Dam by the head, crushed him down
with his superior weight and dug cruelly into the sides of his neck,
below the ears, with his powerful thumb and fingers. "It is called
'grippers'. You'll begin to enjoy it in a minute." ... In a few
seconds the pain became acute and after a couple of minutes,
excruciating.

Dam kept absolutely still and perfectly silent.

To Harberth this was disappointing and after a time he grew tired.
Releasing his impassive victim he arose preparatory to introducing the
next item of his programme of tortures.