s without public
trial."

"Nonsense, nonsense, there was nothing of the kind on our permit, and as
for trafficking with this foreign devil, we spoke to him, but we neither
bought nor sold. Where is the Act?"

"Here. On your permit you were referred to certain other clauses not set
out therein, which might be seen at the Mayor's office. Clause 37 is as
follows:-

"It is furthermore enacted that should any of his Majesty's subjects
be found, after examination by the Head Ranger, to have had traffic of
any kind by way of sale or barter with any foreign devil, the said
Ranger, on being satisfied that such traffic has taken place, shall
forthwith, with or without the assistance of his under-rangers, convey
such subjects of his Majesty to the Blue Pool, bind them, weight them,
and fling them into it, without the formality of a trial, and shall
report the circumstances of the case to his Majesty."

"But we never bought anything from the prisoner. What evidence can you
have of this but the word of a foreign devil in such straits that he
would swear to anything?"

"The prisoner has nothing to do with it. I am convinced by this receipt
in Professor Panky's handwriting which states that he and you jointly
purchased his kit from the prisoner, and also this bag of gold nuggets
worth about 100 pounds in silver, for the absurdly small sum of 4 pounds,
10s. in silver. I am further convinced by this handkerchief marked with
Professor Hanky's name, in which was found a broken packet of dried
leaves that are now at my office with the rest of the prisoner's kit."

"Then we were watched and dogged," said Hanky, "on Thursday evening."

"That, sir," replied George, "is my business, not yours."

Here Panky laid his arms on the table, buried his head in them, and burst
into tears. Every one seemed aghast, but the Mayor, Yram, and Mrs.
Humdrum saw that George was enjoying it all far too keenly to be serious.
Dr. Downie was still frightened (for George's surface manner was
Rhadamanthine) and did his utmost to console Panky. George pounded away
ruthlessly at his case.

"I say nothing about your having bought quails from the prisoner and
eaten them. As you justly remarked just now, there is no object in
preferring a smaller charge when one must inflict the death penalty on a
more serious one. Still, Professor Hanky, these are bones of the quails
you ate as you sate opposite the prisoner on the side of the