But vengeance was nigher than he knew.

A deeper shadow darkened my page, and when I looked up, there was Turkey towering over Mason, with his hand on his collar, and his whip lifted.
The whip did not look formidable.

Mason received the threat as a joke, and laughed in Turkey's face.

Perceiving, however, that Turkey looked dangerous, with a sudden wriggle, at which he was an adept, he broke free, and, trusting to his tried speed of foot, turned his head and made a grimace as he took to his heels.

Before, however, he could widen the space between them sufficiently, Turkey's whip came down upon him.