These people were practical jokers, and I will not try to disguise it.

In other respects they were plenty good-enough people; honest people; reputable and likable.

They played practical jokes upon each other with success, and got the admiration and applause and also the envy of the rest of the community.
Naturally they were eager to try their arts on big game, and that was what the Governor was.

But they were not able to score.

They made several efforts, but the Governor defeated these efforts without any trouble and went on smiling his pleasant smile as if nothing had happened.