Naturally, hostile mud balls presently issued from behind this barricade; and thus a campaign developed that offered a picture not unlike a cartoonist's sketch of a political campaign, wherein this same material is used for the decoration of opponents.

But Penrod had been unwise; he was outnumbered, and the hostile forces held the advantageous side of the fence.
Mud balls can be hard as well as soggy; some of those that reached Penrod were of no inconsiderable weight and substance, and they made him grunt despite himself.

Finally, one, at close range, struck him in the pit of the stomach, whereupon he clasped himself about the middle silently, and executed some steps in seeming imitation of a quaint Indian dance.
His plight being observed through a knothole, his enemies climbed upon the fence and regarded him seriously.
"Aw, YOU'RE all right, ain't you, old tree-mores ?" inquired one.
"I'll SHOW you!" bellowed Penrod, recovering his breath; and he hurled a fat ball--thoughtfully retained in hand throughout his agony--to such effect that his interrogator disappeared backward from the fence without having taken any initiative of his own in the matter.

His comrade impulsively joined him upon the ground, and the battle continued.
Through the gathering dusk it went on.

It waged but the hotter as darkness made aim more difficult--and still Penrod would not be driven from the field.