Booth Tarkington

Penrod and Sam Booth Tarkington

Book Excerpt: ...t we put some REAL bonds on him? We could put bonds on his wrists and around his legs--we could put 'em all over him, easy as nothin'. Then we could gag him--""No, we can't," said Penrod. "We can't, for the main and simple reason we haven't got any rope or anything to make the bonds with, have we? I wish we had some o' that stuff they give sick people. THEN, I bet they wouldn't get him back so soon!""Sick people?" Sam repeated, not comprehending."It makes 'em go to sleep, no matter what you do to 'em," Penrod explained. "That's the main and simple reason they can't wake up, and you can cut off their ole legs--or their arms, or anything you want to.""Hoy!" exclaimed Verman, in a serious tone. His laughter ceased instantly, and he began to utter a protest sufficiently intelligible."You needn't worry," Penrod said gloomily. "We haven't got any o' that stuff; so we can't do it.""Well, we got to do sumpthing," Sam said. His comrade agreed, and there was a thoughtful silence; but presentl...