"That's the talk, dad!" exclaimed Oscar. "You gave it to him good. Give it to him again."
"I mean to," said Nahum grimly, and he raised the whip a second time.
"Say, Joe, are we going to stand this?" asked Bill.
"Not by a long shot! Follow me, pard."
Mr. Sprague's back was turned to the street, and he did not see the quick approach of the two miners. He was just about to bring down the whip again upon poor defenseless Philip when he thought he was struck by a cyclone.
Bill seized him by the collar, while Joe snatched the whip from his hand.
"Why, why, what's all this?" asked the astonished man in dismay.
"Two can play at your little game," answered Joe. "You can stand it better than the kid," and he lashed the unfortunate Nahum across the legs just as Philip had suffered a short time before.
"Stop, stop!" yelled Nahum, who was a coward at heart. "What do you mean? I'll have the law of you."
"That's what you were doing to the kid. I'll give you a dose of your own medicine," and Mr. Sprague received a second stroke.