ROOSTER-GIRL ! '' Walter Blythe suddenly rose from a mossy cushion behind a little clump of firs where he had been reading . He was very pale , but his eyes blazed . `` You hold your tongue , Dan Reese ! '' he said . `` Oh , hello , Miss Walter , '' retorted Dan , not at all abashed . He vaulted airily to the top of the rail fence and chanted insultingly , `` Cowardy , cowardy-custard Stole a pot of mustard , Cowardy , cowardy-custard ! '' `` You are a coincidence ! '' said Walter scornfully , turning still whiter . He had only a very hazy idea what a coincidence was , but Dan had none at all and thought it must be something peculiarly opprobrious . `` Yah ! Cowardy ! '' he yelled gain . `` Your mother writes lies -- lies -- lies ! And Faith Meredith is a pig-girl -- a -- pig-girl -- a pig-girl ! And she 's a rooster-girl -- a rooster-girl -- a rooster-girl ! Yah ! Cowardy -- cowardy -- cust -- '' Dan got no further . Walter had hurled himself across the intervening space and knocked Dan off the fence backward with one well-directed blow . Dan 's sudden inglorious sprawl was greeted with a burst of laughter and a clapping of hands from Faith .
Dan sprang up , purple with rage , and began XXXXX climb the fence .
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