ite to her. On
one side of the table sat the Professors, and on the other Dr. Downie,
Mrs. Humdrum, and George, who had heard the last few words that Hanky had
spoken.

CHAPTER XIX: A COUNCIL IS HELD AT THE MAYOR'S, IN THE COURSE OF WHICH
GEORGE TURNS THE TABLES ON THE PROFESSORS

"Now who," said Yram, "is this unfortunate creature to be, when he is
brought up to-morrow morning, on the charge of poaching?"

"It is not necessary," said Hanky severely, "that he should be brought up
for poaching. He is a foreign devil, and as such your son is bound to
fling him without trial into the Blue Pool. Why bring a smaller charge
when you must inflict the death penalty on a more serious one? I have
already told you that I shall feel it my duty to report the matter at
headquarters, unless I am satisfied that the death penalty has been
inflicted."

"Of course," said George, "we must all of us do our duty, and I shall not
shrink from mine--but I have arrested this man on a charge of poaching,
and must give my reasons; the case cannot be dropped, and it must be
heard in public. Am I, or am I not, to have the sworn depositions of
both you gentlemen to the fact that the prisoner is the man you saw with
quails in his possession? If you can depose to this he will be
convicted, for there can be no doubt he killed the birds himself. The
least penalty my father can inflict is twelve months' imprisonment with
hard labour; and he must undergo this sentence before I can Blue-Pool
him.

"Then comes the question whether or no he is a foreign devil. I may
decide this in private, but I must have depositions on oath before I do
so, and at present I have nothing but hearsay. Perhaps you gentlemen can
give me the evidence I shall require, but the case is one of such
importance that were the prisoner proved never so clearly to be a foreign
devil, I should not Blue-Pool him till I had taken the King's pleasure
concerning him. I shall rejoice, therefore, if you gentlemen can help me
to sustain the charge of poaching, and thus give me legal standing-ground
for deferring action which the King might regret, and which once taken
cannot be recalled."

Here Yram interposed. "These points," she said, "are details. Should we
not first settle, not what, but who, we shall allow the prisoner to be,
when he is brought up to-morrow morning? Settle this, and the rest will
settle itself. He has declared himself to be the Sunchild, and will