But they jest laughed at us, the impudent Greeters. And one of
the boys at that minute took up a stick and threw it, and hit
Sarah right on her poor old head.

Sez Josiah, "Don't you hit Sarah agin."

Sez the boys, "We will," and two of 'em hit her at one time. And
one of 'em knocked the pipe right out of her mouth. She wuz a
smokin', poor old creeter. I s'pose that wuz all the comfort she
took. But did them little imps care? They knocked her as if
they hated the sight of her. And my Josiah (I wuz proud of that
man) jest advanced onto 'em, and took 'em one in each hand, and
gin 'em sech a shakin', that I most expected to see their bones
drop out, and sez he between each shake, "Will you let Sarah
alone now?"

I wuz proud of my Josiah, but fearful of the effect of so much
voyalence onto his constitution, and also onto the boys' frames.
And I advanced onto the seen of carnage and besought him to be
calm. Sez he, "I won't be calm!" sez he, "I haint the man,
Samantha, to stand by and see one of your sect throwed at, as I
have seen Sarah throwed at, without avengin' of it."

And agin he shook them boys with a vehemence. The pennies and
marbles in their pockets rattled and their bones seemed ready to
part asunder. I wuz proud of that noble man, my pardner. But
still I knew that if their bones was shattered my pardner would
be avenged upon by incensed parents. And I sez, "I'd let 'em go
now, Josiah. I don't believe they'll ever harm Sarah agin." Sez
I, "Boys, you won't, will you ever strike a poor feeble old woman