\"Hello，folks！\"Rhuburgerwasdeclaiming，toawhollyunenthusiasticcircleofacquaintances。\"Madeanotherrecord，justnow。ThelittleboatspunmeherefromMontclairinexactlynineteenminutes。That\'s——that\'sroughlyanaveragerateofamileinseventy-fiveseconds。Notsobad，eh？ThatcarsuremadeahitwithME，allright。Notsomuchofahit，maybe，withacoupleofchickensandafatolddogthathadthebadlucktobeasleepinthemiddleofthe——\"
Hisplangentbragwaslostinasoundseldomheardonthehithersideofjungleorzoo。Fromthegroupofslightlydisgustedonlookers，ahugeandtawnyshapeburstforth；hurtlingthroughtheair，straightforthefatthroatoftheboaster。
Rhuburger，bysomeheaven-sentinstinct，flunguphisarmstoshieldhismenacedjugular。Hehadnotimetodomore。
Lad\'sfury-driveneightypoundsofmuscularweightcrashedfullagainsthischest。Lad\'sterribleteeth，missingtheirthroat-goal，drovedeepintotheupliftedrightforearm；shearingthroughimportedtweedcoat-sleeveandthroughcordedsilkenshirt，andthroughflabbyfleshandcleantotheverybone。
Thedog\'slion-roarblendedwiththepanic-screechesofthevictim。And，underthatfearfulimpact，Rhuburgerreeledbackfromthestairhead，andwentcrashingdownthesteps，tothebroadstoneflaggingatthebottom。