"_I_ knew you could, all the time.

I expect _I_ could do it to some of the boys up at the Third, myself.

Couldn't I ?" "No, you couldn't." "Well, there must be SOME boy up there that I could----" "No, they ain't! You better----" "I expect not, then," said Penrod, quickly.
"You BETTER 'expect not.' Didn't I tell you once you'd never get back alive if you ever tried to come up around the Third?
You want me to SHOW you how we do up there, 'bo ?" He began a slow and deadly advance, whereupon Penrod timidly offered a diversion: "Say, Rupe, I got a box of rats in our stable under a glass cover, so you can watch 'em jump around when you hammer on the box.

Come on and look at 'em." "All right," said the fat-faced boy, slightly mollified.

"We'll let Dan kill 'em." "No, SIR! I'm goin' to keep 'em.