第33章

Theirshootingmatchhadawakenedaspiritofrivalryinthemen，andtherestoftheafternoonwaspassedinathleticexercisesbetweenthem。Thewomensatontheslopeofthegrass，theirhatsandgloveslaidaside，watchingthemenastheystrovetogether。Arousedbythelittlefemininecriesofwonderandtheclappingoftheirunglovedpalms，theselatterbegantoshowoffatonce。Theytookofftheircoatsandvests，eventheirnecktiesandcollars，andworkedthemselvesintoalatherofperspirationforthesakeofmakinganimpressionontheirwives。Theyranhundred-yardsprintsonthecinderpathandexecutedclumsyfeatsontheringsandontheparallelbars。Theyevenfoundahugeroundstoneonthebeachand“puttheshot“forawhile。Aslongasitwasaquestionofagility，Marcuswaseasilythebestofthefour；butthedentist’senormousstrength，hiscrude，untutoredbruteforce，wasamatterofwonderfortheentireparty。McTeaguecrackedEnglishwalnuts——takenfromthelunchbaskets——inthehollowofhisarm，andtossedtheroundstoneafullfivefeetbeyondtheirbestmark。Heisebelievedhimselftobeparticularlystronginthewrists，butthedentist，usingbutonehand，twistedacaneoutofHeise’stwowithawrenchthatallbutsprainedtheharness-

maker’sarm。Thenthedentistraisedweightsandchinnedhimselfontheringstilltheythoughthewouldnevertire。

Hisgreatsuccessquiteturnedhishead；hestruttedbackandforthinfrontofthewomen，hischestthrownout，andhisgreatmouthperpetuallyexpandedinatriumphantgrin。

Ashefelthisstrengthmoreandmore，hebegantoabuseit；

hedomineeredovertheothers，grippingsuddenlyattheirarmstilltheysquirmedwithpain，andslappingMarcusonthebacksothathegaspedandgaggedforbreath。Thechildishvanityofthegreatfellowwasasundisguisedasthatofaschoolboy。Hebegantotellofwonderfulfeatsofstrengthhehadaccomplishedwhenhewasayoungman。Why，atonetimehehadknockeddownahalf-grownheiferwithablowofhisfistbetweentheeyes，sure，andtheheiferhadjuststiffenedoutandtrembledalloveranddiedwithoutgettingup。

McTeaguetoldthisstoryagain，andyetagain。Allthroughtheafternoonhecouldbeoverheardrelatingthewondertoanyonewhowouldlisten，exaggeratingtheeffectofhisblow，inventingterrificdetails。Why，theheiferhadjustfrothedatthemouth，andhiseyeshadrolledup——ah，sure，hiseyesrolledupjustlikethat——andthebutcherhadsaidhisskullwasallmashedin——justallmashedin，sure，that’stheword——justasiffromasledge-hammer。

Notwithstandinghisreconciliationwiththedentistontheboat，Marcus’sgorgerosewithinhimatMcTeague’sboastingswagger。WhenMcTeaguehadslappedhimontheback，Marcushadretiredtosomelittledistancewhileherecoveredhisbreath，andglaredatthedentistfiercelyashestrodeupanddown，gloryingintheadmiringglancesofthewomen。

“Ah，one-horsedentist，“hemutteredbetweenhisteeth。

“Ah，zinc-plugger，cow-killer，I’dliketoshowyouonce，youovergrownmucker，you——you——COW-KILLER！“

Whenherejoinedthegroup，hefoundthempreparingforawrestlingbout。

“Itel