“No,” answered Tom.
“Then take that, and that, and that. Now will you whine?”
“No,” cried Tom, determined not to yield.
So Balser went at it again, but there was no give up to stubborn Tom, even if he was on the under side.
At last Balser wiped the perspiration from his face, and, sitting astride of his stubborn foe, said:—
“Tom, if you’ll whine I’ll lend you my gun for a whole day.”
“And powder and bullets?” asked Tom.
“Well, I guess not,” answered Balser. “I’ll lick you twenty times first.”
“If you’ll lend me your gun and give me ten full loads, I’ll whine till I fetch every wolf in the woods, if the bugs do eat me up.”
“That’s a go,” said Balser, glad enough to compromise with a boy who didn’t know when he was whipped.