back, and the weight upon the thing. Also, there
was that binding of his belly, and the irritation
due to the prickly something pressing his back
and sides. All these facts stung him, and under
the whip of them he awoke to a mighty urging
within. It was his fighting spirit rekindling -- the
thing that was his birthright, the thing come
down to him from his ancestors, the thing that
told him to rebel against the unnatural. And
heeding this, voice, heeding it because he knew
no other, he decided to give decisive battle.

In a frenzy of effort he suddenly reared. He
pirouetted on hind legs; pawed the air with fore
legs; lost his balance. Failing to recover himself,
he went over backward. He struck the
earth resoundingly, but he realized that the weight
was gone, and he felt a faint glow of victory!

"Wow!" yelled a spectator, excitedly.

Pat heard this and hastily regained his feet.
And because he was uncertain of his next move
he remained motionless. This was a mistake, as
he soon discovered. For he saw two men leap,
grasp both his ears; felt the dread twist again.
So he remained still, and he felt the man mount
again. Then came rumbling in upon his tortured
soul again the insistent voice telling him to rebel
further, and to keep on rebelling until through
sheer brute strength he had mastered these unnatural
things. With the grip on his ears released
he once more gave heed to this clamoring within.

He leaped straight up into the air. Returning
to earth with nerve-shattering shock, he whirled

[[65]]

p064 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p065w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p066

v?