There came a vigorous rapping on the alley door of the stable, and Verman was admitted. “Yay, Verman!” cried Sam Williams. “Come and look at our good ole panther!” Another curiosity, however, claimed Verman's attention. His eyes opened wide, and he pointed at Herman's legs. “Wha' ma' oo? Mammy hay oo hip ap hoe-woob.” “Mammy tell ME git 'at stove-wood?” Herman interpreted resentfully. “How'm I go' git 'at stove-wood when my britches down bottom 'at cistern, I like you answer ME please? You shet 'at do' behime you!” Verman complied, and again pointing to his brother's legs, requested to be enlightened. “Sin' I tole you once they down bottom 'at cistern,” Herman shouted, much exasperated. “You wan' know how come so, you ast Sam Williams. He say thishere cat tuck an' th'owed 'em down there!” Sam, who was busy rocking the cage, remained cheerfully absorbed in that occupation. “Come look at our good ole panther, Verman,” he called. “I'll get this circus-cage rockin' right good, an' then--” “Wait a minute,” said Penrod; “I got sumpthing I got to think about. Quit rockin' it! I guess I got a right to think about sumpthing without havin' to go deaf, haven't I?” Having obtained the quiet so plaintively requested, he knit his brow and gazed intently upon Verman, then upon Herman, then upon Gipsy. Evidently his idea was fermenting. He broke the silence with a shout. “_I_ know, Sam! I know what we'll do NOW! I just thought of it, and it's goin' to be sumpthing I bet there aren't any other boys in this town could do, because where would they get any good ole panther like we got, and Herman and Verman? And they'd haf to have a dog, too--and we got our good ole Dukie, I guess. I bet we have the greatest ole time this afternoon we ever had in our lives!” His enthusiasm roused the warm interest of Sam--and Verman, though Herman, remaining cold and suspicious, asked for details. “An' I like to hear if it's sump'm',” he concluded, “what's go' git me my britches back outen 'at cistern!” “Well, it ain't exackly that,” said Penrod. “It's different from that. What I'm thinkin' about, well, for us to have it the way it ought to be, so's you and Verman would look like natives--well, Verman ought to take off his britches, too.” “Mo!” said Verman, shaking his head violently. “Mo!” “Well, wait a minute, can't you?” Sam Williams said. “Give Penrod a chance to say what he wants to, first, can't you? Go on, Penrod.” “Well, you know, Sam,” said Penrod, turning to this sympathetic auditor; “you remember that movin'-pitcher show we went to, 'Fortygraphing Wild Animals in the Jungle'. Well, Herman wouldn't have to do a thing more to look like those natives we saw that the man called the 'beaters'. They were dressed just about like the way he is now, and if Verman--” “MO!” said Verman. “Oh, WAIT a minute, Verman!” Sam entreated. “Go on, Penrod.”