a tearing , ripping sound suddenly filled the air , and for a moment jack thought that morgan of orris was raping a passage through the worlds again , becoming morgan sloat ... morgan sloat with a final , not-to-be-refused offer involving a machine-gun , a blowtorch , a pair of red-hot pincers ... but instead of richard 's furious father , the crown of the territories tree struck the middle of the road , bounced once in a snapping of branches , then rolled over on its side like a dead animal .