Tom took a chew
of tobacco, decided that the ruse might work, and donated the planks for
the window.
It did work, up to a certain point. Ford heard a noise in the storeroom
and went to investigate, caught a glimpse of Tom Aldershot apparently
about to climb through the little window, and hurled a hammer and
considerable vituperation at the opening. Whereupon Sandy scuttled in
and slammed the door, according to his own plan, and locked it. There
was a season of frenzied hammering outside, and after that Sunset
breathed freer, and discussed the evils of strong drink, and washed down
their arguments by copious draughts of the stuff they maligned.
Later, they had to take him out of the storeroom, because he insisted
upon knocking the bungs out of all the barrels and letting the liquor
flood the floor, and Mike McGrew's wife objected to the waste, on the
ground that whisky costs money. They fell upon him in a body, bundled
him up, hustled him over to the ice-house, and shut him in; and within
ten minutes he kicked three boards off one side and emerged breathing
fire and brimstone like the dragons of old.
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