The lawyer was now desperate. The perspiration poured down his face, while the shouts and curses he hurled at the dog were of no avail. With a savage yank he tore open the door, and the dog, catching sight of the opening, bounded for it like a tank going into battle.
It so happened that just at this critical moment the expressman had stepped to the door, carrying in his hands the long-expected box which he had overlooked. He saw the grotesque object bounding toward him, and before he had time to move aside, Pedro, now dragging the battered chair, dashed full upon him. With a yell of terror, he fell backwards, dropping as he did so the precious box upon the pavement. There was a sudden crash of bottles, and a liberal flow of spirits such as the town had never before known.
Half dazed, the expressman sat upon the sidewalk, and viewed the shattered box lying in the path of light from the open door. The lawyer approached and stood over the bewildered man.
"What’s the meaning of all this?" he demanded.
"Meaning!" the man replied, rubbing his bruised right shoulder. "Why do you ask me? What’s on here to-night, anyway? A menagerie, or a wild-west show?"
"Get up, and explain why you brought that box of rats here," Rackshaw ordered, ignoring the other’s question.
"Rats! Brought rats here! I don’t understand."
"Yes, rats. That first box you brought was full of rats; big rats, gray rats and all kinds of rats. They’ve turned hell loose in there."
"Good Lord!" the expressman gasped, as he leaned over to obtain a better view of the office. "Did the rats do that?"
"And was that one of them that knocked me down?"
"Get up," Rackshaw commanded. "What’s the matter with you? Did you ever see a rat the size of that? Don’t you know a dog when you see it?"
"A dog! Good heavens! But you said something about rats."
"So I did, and you should know something about them, too. You left a box here full of rats, and when I opened it the devils came out and turned my dog’s brain. Look at that room there. Isn’t it a great mess? Somebody’ll have a nice bill to pay. Where in h—l did you get that box, anyway?"
"Where I got the rest, of course. I didn’t know it was full of rats. But that wouldn’t have made any difference. It’s not my business to know what the things are which I deliver. Guess you’ll have to enquire elsewhere."