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。