“Dance, you onery cuss! dance!” yelled Serpent Sam.
“I don’t know how,” replied Patsy.
“Jump then, you idiot! jump into the air, durn ye! I’ll teach ye!”
As he spoke, Serpent Sam fired again.
This time the bullet struck so close to the detective’s foot that it jarred it.
But no harm was done, and Patsy never stirred.
He knew that the first shots would be aimed so as to scare him—not to hit.
After that, Serpent Sam might be angered into firing to kill.
“For Heaven’s sake, stranger,” called Bronco Bill, “don’t be a fool. Dance for the gentleman. It won’t last long, and nobody will be hurt. Jump and let him have his fun.”