are to provide himself.

For this purpose he first freed the recovered person from his shackles,
which the executioner had left unlocked on purpose, and at the same time
disengaged the complicated envelopes and bandages by which he had been
suspended. It was some time ere Dwining's efforts succeeded; for, in
despite of the skill with which his machine had been constructed, the
straps designed to support the body had stretched so considerably as to
occasion the sense of suffocation becoming extremely overpowering. But
the address of the surgeon triumphed over all obstacles; and, after
sneezing and stretching himself, with one or two brief convulsions,
Bonthron gave decided proofs of reanimation, by arresting the hand
of the operator as it was in the act of dropping strong waters on his
breast and throat, and, directing the bottle which contained them to his
lips, he took, almost perforce, a considerable gulp of the contents.

"It is spiritual essence double distilled," said the astonished
operator, "and would blister the throat and burn the stomach of any
other man. But this extraordinary beast is so unlike all other human
creatures, that I should not wonder if it brought him to the complete
possession of his faculties."

Bonthron seemed to confirm this: he started with a strong convulsion,
sat up, stared around, and indicated some consciousness of existence.

"Wine--wine," were the first words which he articulated.

The leech gave him a draught of medicated wine, mixed with water. He
rejected it, under the dishonourable epithet of "kennel washings," and
again uttered the words, "Wine--wine."

"Nay, take it to thee, i' the devil's name," said the leech, "since none
but he can judge of thy constitution."

A draught, long and deep enough to have discomposed the intellects of
any other person, was found effectual in recalling those of Bonthron to
a more perfect state; though he betrayed no recollection of where he was
or what had befallen him, and in his brief and sullen manner asked why
he was brought to the river side at this time of night.

"Another frolic of the wild Prince, for drenching me as he did before.
Nails and blood, but I would--"

"Hold thy peace," interrupted Eviot, "and be thankful, I pray you, if
you have any thankfulness in you, that thy body is not crow's meat and
thy soul in a place where water is too scarce to duck thee."

"I begin to bethink me," said the ruffian; and raising the flask to hi