Darkness closed in.

Penrod had rather vaguely debated plans for a self-mutilation such as would make his appearance as the Child Sir Lancelot inexpedient on public grounds; it was a heroic and attractive thought, but the results of some extremely sketchy preliminary experiments caused him to abandon it.
There was no escape; and at last his hour was hard upon him.

Therefore he brooded on the fence and gazed with envy at his wistful Duke.
The dog's name was undescriptive of his person, which was obviously the result of a singular series of mesalliances.

He wore a grizzled moustache and indefinite whiskers; he was small and shabby, and looked like an old postman.

Penrod envied Duke because he was sure Duke would never be compelled to be a Child Sir Lancelot.