But they were not to be quelled by mere tones.
"He throwed Merton right off into the dirt, didn't he, Merton?
Merton, didn't he throw you right off into the dirt, Merton?
Did he hurt you, Merton ?" "Merton, will you let me shoot it off just once--just once, and I'll never ask again ?" "He didn't either find it first, Merton." "He throwed you off right into the dirt--didn't he throw you right off into the dirt, Merton ?" With a harsher show of authority, or perhaps merely because he was bearded--so unreasoning are the inhibitions of the young--Gashwiler stilled the tumult.

The dancing died.

"What's this mean ?" he repeated.
"We nearly had an accident," said the lady.
"What's this mean ?" An answer of sorts could no longer be delayed.
"Well, I thought I'd give Dexter a little exercise, so I saddled him up and was going to ride him around the block, when--when these kids here yelled and scared him so he ran away." "Oh, what a story!" shouted the tots in unison.

"What a bad story! You'll go to the bad place," intoned little Elsie.
"I swear, I don't know what's gettin' into you," declared Gashwiler.
"Don't that horse get exercise enough during the week?
Don't he like his day of rest?
How'd you like me to saddle you up and ride you round the block?
I guess you'd like that pretty well, wouldn't you ?" Gashwiler fancied himself in this bit of sarcasm, brutal though it was.

He toyed with it.