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。
McTeaguetoldthisstoryagain，andyetagain。Allthroughtheafternoonhecouldbeoverheardrelatingthewondertoanyonewhowouldlisten，exaggeratingtheeffectofhisblow，inventingterrificdetails。Why，theheiferhadjustfrothedatthemouth，andhiseyeshadrolledup——ah，sure，hiseyesrolledupjustlikethat——andthebutcherhadsaidhisskullwasallmashedin——justallmashedin，sure，that’stheword——justasiffromasledge-hammer。
Notwithstandinghisreconciliationwiththedentistontheboat，Marcus’sgorgerosewithinhimatMcTeague’sboastingswagger。WhenMcTeaguehadslappedhimontheback，Marcushadretiredtosomelittledistancewhileherecoveredhisbreath，andglaredatthedentistfiercelyashestrodeupanddown，gloryingintheadmiringglancesofthewomen。
“Ah，one-horsedentist，“hemutteredbetweenhisteeth。
“Ah，zinc-plugger，cow-killer，I’dliketoshowyouonce，youovergrownmucker，you——you——COW-KILLER！“
Whenherejoinedthegroup，hefoundthempreparingforawrestlingbout。
“Itellyouwhat，“saidHeise，“we’llhaveatournament。
MarcusandIwillrastle，andDocandRyer，andthenthewinnerswillrastleeachother。“
Thewomenclappedtheirhandsexcitedly。Thiswouldbeexciting。Trinacried：
“Betterletmeholdyourmoney，Mac，andyourkeys，soasyouwon’tlosethemoutofyourpockets。“Themengavetheirvaluablesintothekeepingoftheirwivesandpromptlysettowork。
ThedentistthrustRyerdownwithoutevenchanginghisgrip；
Marcusandtheharness-makerstruggledtogetherforafewmomentstillHeiseallatonceslippedonabitofturfandfellbackwards。Astheytoppledovertogether，Marcuswrithedhimselffromunderhisopponent，and，astheyreachedtheground，forceddownfirstoneshoulderandthentheother。
“Allright，allright，“pantedtheharness-maker，good-
naturedly，“I’mdown。It’suptoyouandDocnow，“headded，ashegottohisfeet。
ThematchbetweenMcTeagueandMarcuspromisedtobeinteresting。Thedentist，ofcourse，hadanenormousadvantageinpointofstrength，butMarcuspridedhimselfonhiswrestling，andknewsomethingaboutstrangle-holdsandhalf-Nelsons。Themendrewbacktoallowthemafreespaceastheyfacedeachother，whileTrinaandtheotherwomenrosetotheirfeetintheirexcitement。
“IbetMacwillthrowhim，allthesame，“saidTrina。
“Allready！“criedRyer。
ThedentistandMarcussteppedforward，eyeingeachothercautiously。Theycircledaroundtheimprompturing。Marcuswatchingeagerlyforanopening。Hegroundhisteeth，tellinghimselfhewouldthrowMcTeagueifitkilledhim。
Ah，he’dshowhimnow。Suddenlythetwomencaughtateachother；Marcuswenttohisknees。Thedentistthrewhisvastbulkonhisadversary’sshouldersand，thrustingahugepalmagainsthisface，pushedhimbackwardsanddownwards。Itwasoutofthequestiontoresistthatenormousstrength。
Marcuswrenchedhimselfoverandfellfacedownwardontheground。
McTeagueroseontheinstantwithagreatlaughofexultation。
“You’redown！“heexclaimed。
Marcusleapedtohisfeet。
“Downnothing，“hevociferated，withclenchedfists。“Downnothing，bydamn！Yougottothrowmeso’smyshoulderstouch。
McTeaguewasstalkingabout，swellingwithpride。
“Hoh，you’redown。Ithrewyou。Didn’tIthrowhim，Trina？
Hoh，youcan’trastleME。“
Marcuscaperedwithrage。
“Youdidn’t！youdidn’t！youdidn’t！andyoucan’t！Yougottogivemeanothertry。“
Theothermencamecrowdingup。Everybodywastalkingatonce。
“He’sright。“
“Youdidn’tthrowhim。“
“Bothhisshouldersatthesametime。“
TrinaclappedandwavedherhandatMcTeaguefromwhereshestoodonthelittleslopeoflawnabovethewrestlers。
Marcusbrokethroughthegroup，shakingalloverwithexcitementandrage。
“Itellyouthatain’ttheWAYtorastle。You’vegottothrowamanso’shisshoulderstouch。Yougottogivemeanotherbout。“
“That’sstraight，“putinHeise，“bothhisshouldersdownatthesametime。Tryitagain。YouandSchoulerhaveanothertry。“
McTeaguewasbewilderedbysomuchsimultaneoustalk。Hecouldnotmakeoutwhatitwasallabout。CouldhehaveoffendedMarcusagain？
“What？What？Huh？Whatisit？“heexclaimedinperplexity，lookingfromonetotheother。
“Comeon，youmustrastlemeagain，“shoutedMarcus。
“Sure，sure，“criedthedentist。“I’llrastleyouagain。
I’llrastleeverybody，“hecried，suddenlystruckwithanidea。Trinalookedoninsomeapprehension。
“Markgetssomad，“shesaid，halfaloud。
“Yes，“admittedSelina。“MisterSchouler’sgotanawfulquicktemper，butheain’tafraidofanything。“
“Allready！“shoutedRyer。
ThistimeMarcuswasmorecareful。Twice，asMcTeaguerushedathim，heslippedcleverlyaway。Butasthedentistcameinathirdtime，withhisheadbowed，Marcus，raisinghimselftohisfullheight，caughthimwithbotharmsaroundtheneck。Thedentistgrippedathimandrentawaythesleeveofhisshirt。Therewasagreatlaugh。
“Keepyourshirton，“criedMrs。Ryer。
Thetwomenweregrapplingateachotherwildly。Thepartycouldhearthempantingandgruntingastheylaboredandstruggled。Theirbootstoreupgreatclodsofturf。
Suddenlytheycametothegroundwithatremendousshock。
Butevenastheywereintheactoffalling，Marcus，likeaveryeel，writhedinthedentist’sclaspandfelluponhisside。McTeaguecrasheddownuponhimlikethecollapseofafelledox。
“Now，yougottaturnhimonhisback，“shoutedHeisetothedentist。“Heain’tdownifyoudon’t。“
WithhishugesalientchindiggingintoMarcus’sshoulder，thedentistheavedandtugged。Hisfacewasflaming，hishugeshockofyellowhairfelloverhisforehead，mattedwithsweat。Marcusbegantoyielddespitehisfranticefforts。Oneshoulderwasdown，nowtheotherbegantogo；
gradually，graduallyitwasforcedover。Thelittleaudiencehelditsbreathinthesuspenseofthemoment。
Selinabrokethesilence，callingoutshrilly：
“Ain’tDoctorMcTeaguejustthatstrong！“
Marcusheardit，andhisfurycameinstantlytoahead。
RageathisdefeatatthehandsofthedentistandbeforeSelina’seyes，thehatehestillborehisold-time“pal“andtheimpotentwrathofhisownpowerlessnessweresuddenlyunleashed。
“Goddamnyou！getoffofme，“hecriedunderhisbreath，spittingthewordsasasnakespitsitsvenom。Thelittleaudienceutteredacry。WiththeoathMarcushadtwistedhisheadandhadbittenthroughthelobeofthedentist’sear。Therewasasuddenflashofbright-redblood。
Thenfollowedaterriblescene。ThebrutethatinMcTeaguelaysoclosetothesurfaceleapedinstantlytolife，monstrous，nottoberesisted。Hesprangtohisfeetwithashrillandmeaninglessclamor，totallyunliketheordinarybassofhisspeakingtones。Itwasthehideousyellingofahurtbeast，thesquealingofawoundedelephant。Heframednowords；intherushofhigh-pitchedsoundthatissuedfromhiswide-openmouththerewasnothingarticulate。Itwassomethingnolongerhuman；itwasratheranechofromthejungle。
Sluggishenoughandslowtoangeronordinaryoccasions，McTeaguewhenfinallyarousedbecameanotherman。Hisragewasakindofobsession，anevilmania，thedrunkennessofpassion，theexaltedandpervertedfuryoftheBerserker，blindanddeaf，athinginsensate。
AsherosehecaughtMarcus’swristinbothhishands。