Skippy deliberated, resolved on anything short of murder to stifle the threatening exposure. Sterner methods were necessary. All at once his eye spied a coil of rope in the corner and he sprang to it with a shout.
"What are you going to do?" said Tootsie wrathfully.
"I am going to tie and gag and leave you to starve," said Skippy, swinging a lasso.
There was a short and painful tussle in which his necktie was torn to shreds and he surrendered a certain amount of hair, but at the end of which, Miss Tootsie, tied hand and foot to a chair, was propped up against a pillar, while her conqueror proceeded to roll up his handkerchief with the evident intention of applying a gag.
"You'll like it when the rats come around," he said gloomily.
"Fiddlesticks! You can't scare me," said Tootsie with alarming calm.
"And there are bats too, don't forget the bats that get their claws in your hair," said Skippy, approaching with the gag, "and not a soul to hear your cries, you tattle-tale!"
"You'll get the licking of your life," said Tootsie, looking at him steadily. "Thief!"
"So you won't name your price!" said Skippy, passing behind her and holding the gag before her eyes.
"Not if you murder me—you thief!"