probably do so again. I am prepared to identify him, so is Dr. Downie,
so is Mrs. Humdrum, the interpreter, and doubtless my father. Others of
known respectability will also do so, and his marks and measurements are
sure to correspond quite sufficiently. The question is, whether all this
is to be allowed to appear on evidence, or whether it is to be
established, as it easily may, if we give our minds to it, that he is not
the Sunchild."

"Whatever else he is," said Hanky, "he must not be the Sunchild. He
must, if the charge of poaching cannot be dropped, be a poacher and a
foreign devil. I was doubtless too hasty when I said that I believed I
recognized the man as one who had more than once declared himself to be
the Sunchild--"

"But, Hanky," interrupted Panky, "are you sure that you can swear to this
man's being the man we met on Thursday night? We only saw him by
firelight, and I doubt whether I should feel justified in swearing to
him."

"Well, well: on second thoughts I am not sure, Panky, but what you may be
right after all; it is possible that he may be what I said he was in my
sermon."

"I rejoice to hear you say so," said George, "for in this case the charge
of poaching will fall through. There will be no evidence against the
prisoner. And I rejoice also to think that I shall have nothing to
warrant me in believing him to be a foreign devil. For if he is not to
be the Sunchild, and not to be your poacher, he becomes a mere
monomaniac. If he apologises for having made a disturbance in the
temple, and promises not to offend again, a fine, and a few days'
imprisonment, will meet the case, and he may be discharged."

"I see, I see," said Hanky very angrily. "You are determined to get this
man off if you can."

"I shall act," said George, "in accordance with sworn evidence, and not
otherwise. Choose whether you will have the prisoner to be your poacher
or no: give me your sworn depositions one way or the other, and I shall
know how to act. If you depose on oath to the identity of the prisoner
and your poacher, he will be convicted and imprisoned. As to his being a
foreign devil, if he is the Sunchild, of course he is one; but otherwise
I cannot Blue-Pool him even when his sentence is expired, without
testimony deposed to me on oath in private, though no open trial is
required. A case for suspicion was made out in my hearing last night,
but I must have depositions on oath to all the leading fact