第44部分(第6/7 頁)

　that　took　the　fight　out　of　Percy；　at　least　for　the　time　being。

〃Oh　Poicy；〃　he　said。　〃What　would　your　mother　say？　For　that　matter；　what　would　the　governor　say？〃

Percy　was　blushing　a　dark　red。　〃Just　shut　up。　And　leave　my　mother　out　of　it。〃

Brutal　tossed　me　the　straitjacket　and　pushed　his　face　up　into　Percy's。　〃Sure　thing。　Just　stick　out　your　arms　like　a　good　boy。〃

Percy's　lips　were　trembling；　and　his　eyes　were　too　bright。　He　was；　I　realized；　on　the　verge　of　tears。　〃I　won't；〃　he　said　in　a　childish；　trembling　voice；　〃and　you　can't　make　me。〃　Then　he　raised　his　voice　and　began　to　scream　for　help。　Harry　winced　and　so　did　I。　If　we　ever　came　close　to　just　dropping　the　whole　thing；　it　was　then。　We　might　have；　except　for　Brutal。　He　never　hesitated。　He　stepped　behind　Percy　so　he　was　shoulder　to　shoulder　with　Harry；　who　still　had　Percy's　hands　pinned　behind　him。　Brutal　reached　up　and　took　Percy's　ears　in　his　hands。

〃Stop　that　yelling；〃　Brutal　said。　〃Unless　you　want　to　have　a　pair　of　the　world's　most　unique　teabag　caddies。〃

Percy　quit　yelling　for　help　and　just　stood　there；　trembling　and　looking　down　at　the　cover　of　the　crude　cartoon　book；　which　showed　Popeye　and　Olive　doing　it　in　a　creative　way　I　had　heard　of　but　never　tried。　〃Oooh；　Popeye！〃　read　the　balloon　over　Olive's　head。　〃Uck…uck…uck…uck！〃　read　the　one　over　Popeye's。　He　was　still　smoking　his　pipe。

〃Hold　out　your　arms；〃　Brutal　said；　〃and　let's　have　no　more　foolishness　about　it。　Do　it　now。〃

〃I　won't；〃　Percy　said。　〃I　won't；　and　you　can't　make　me。〃

〃You're　dead　wrong　about　that；　you　know；〃　Brutal　said；　then　clamped　down　on　Percy's　ears　and　twisted　them　the　way　you　might　twist　the　dials　on　an　oven。　An　oven　that　wasn't　cooking　the　way　you　wanted；　Percy　let　out　a　miserabl