He was acting entirely on the defensive, but an awful consciousness of impending misfortune assailed him.

His belt was gone, and--his trousers began to slip--slip--slip! He called wildly to the others for God's sake to do something.

They helped with advice.

He yelled "Curs!" and "Cowards!" back at them.

Still, as he danced around with his strange and ungainly partner, his trousers kept slipping--slipping.