"Quick! Quick! Now's the time! Grab your dog! I'll catch Mike!" The urgency of the order compelled compliance.

Almost in spite of himself he stooped to obey.

And so it came to pass that five seconds later, Caesar was being mercilessly thrashed by his enraged master, while the real culprit was being dragged, cursing breathlessly, from the scene.
It was a brutal thrashing and wholly undeserved.

Caesar, awaking to the horror of it, howled his anguish; but no amount of protest on his part made the smallest impression upon the wielder of the whip.

It continued to descend upon his writhing body with crashing force till he rolled upon the ground in agony.
Even then the punishment would not have ceased, but for a second interruption.