THE SCARY DEMONSTRATION

 

 

            When Penny Baxter was suffering from the snakebite, and when Doc Wilson, trying to feed the patient a spoonful of milk, ordered, "Open your mouth, or I'll call the Forresters in here to open it," suppose Penny had still refused to obey, instead of complying.

            "Buck! Mill-wheel!" Doc called to the two who had fetched him and rescued Penny from the scrub. "Come in here, please!"

            They trooped in and regarded Doc expectantly.

            He nodded peevishly at Penny. "My patient ain't cooperatin'. You s'pose you two might persuade him to open his mouth?" Doc still held the spoonful of milk.

            They nodded and grinned their superior-Forrester grin, and moved in on Penny where he lay helpless in the bed. Buck held his head still, and Mill-wheel's big hand gripped Penny's jaw from below, using thumb on one side and index finger on the other, to apply pressure at the point where upper teeth and lower teeth met. With his pressure, they no longer met. The jaws were forced apart. Penny moaned in defeat and slight pain as the milk was successfully poured down him.

            Jody stared in shock and discomfort at the sight of the Forresters once again manhandling his father. He went on staring as, their task complete, they filed out of the bedroom and back into the main room. Jody followed. He couldn't take his thunderstruck eyes off of them.

            "Somethin' ails you, boy?" Buck was amused.

            Jody murmured, "That's how Lem woulda done it!"

            "Done what?" Buck demanded.

            "What you talkin' 'bout?" Mill-wheel wondered.

            "He...he threatened me," Jody stammered, "the night I stayed with you-all. The night you let me stay with Fodder-wing."

            "Why?"

            "'Cause, he said Twink was his sweetheart, and I said she was Oliver's gal." Jody looked uncomfortable. "Hit was afore the fight. I didn't mean to say nothin' wrong and rile him! And I didn't yit know...."

            "And he threatened you?"

            "Yes. He said, 'You say that agin in your life, boy, and you'll not have a tongue left to say it with.' Hit skeered me right bad, but I couldn't jest figger out how he aimed to git me to cooperate. Now I git it." Jody shivered.

            "Shore," Buck informed him clinically. "Take a knife in one hand, and squeeze your jaw, like Mill-wheel done to you pa, with th'other...."

            Jody burst into tears.

            Mill-wheel laughed. "Aw now look! We done made him cry!"

            Jody whimpered, "You reckon he aims to ketch me alone, and...and...."

            "I don't know." Mill-wheel speculated, "Mebbe he counts your interferin' in the fight as sayin' it agin, and mebbe he don't."

            "You'll jest have to wait-see," Buck agreed.

            Jody blubbered, "I'm skeert!" He went close to them. "Don't leave him do it!"

            Buck took Jody into his lap and held him comfortingly. He commented to Mill-wheel, "Ever' now and agin, I wonder why we bother with the Baxters. Then I'm reminded why. Hit's 'cause they's so blasted entertainin'!"

            Mill-wheel chuckled. "I mean!"