of the lecture. "You better take him back if you don't want to get
arrested." And when Penrod, rather uneasily ignoring the interruption,
proceeded to the exploitation of the genuine, full-blooded Indian dog,
Duke, "Why don't you try to give that old dog away?" asked Roderick.
"You couldn't sell him."

"My papa would buy me a lots better 'coon than that," was the
information volunteered a little later, "only I wouldn't want the nasty
old thing."

Herman of the missing finger obtained no greater indulgence. "Pooh!"
said Roderick. "We have two fox-terriers in our stables that took prizes
at the kennel show, and their tails were BIT off. There's a man that
always bites fox-terriers' tails off."

"Oh, my gosh, what a lie!" exclaimed Sam Williams ignorantly.

"Go on with the show whether he likes it or not, Penrod. He's paid his
money."

Verman, confident in his own singular powers, chuckled openly at the
failure of the other attractions to charm the frosty visitor, and,
when his turn came, poured forth a torrent of conversation which was
straightway damned.

"Rotten," said Mr. Bitts languidly. "Anybody could talk like that. _I_
could do it if I wanted to."

Verman paused suddenly.