ibable mystery. I felt as one
might be supposed to feel whose spirit were capable of eating material
food, and had eaten too much. It was awful! Under the impulse of this
sensation, I again shouted--

"_Stop_!"

"Why?"

"I cannot tell you why, until you unscrew that machine. Quick! it is of
the deepest, the most vital importance to yourselves."

The extreme earnestness of my voice and manner induced the men to comply
almost, I might say, in spite of themselves.

"Now, lad, what is it? Mind, _your_ turn is coming; so don't trifle
with us."

"_Trifle_ with you!" I said, in a voice so deep, and slow, and
solemn,--with a look so preternaturally awful,--that the four men were
visibly impressed.

"Listen! I have a secret to tell you,--a secret that intimately
concerns yourselves. It is a fearful one. You would give all you
possess--your wealth, your very lives--rather than not know it. I can
tell it to you; _but not now_. All the tortures of the Inquisition
could not drag it out of me. Nay, you need not smile. If you did
torture me _before_ I told you this secret, that would have the effect
of rendering my information useless to you. Nothing could then save
you. I must be left alone with my friend for an hour. Go! You may
leave us chained; you may lock and bar your door; you may watch and
guard the house; but go, leave us. Much--too much--valuable time has
been already lost. Come back in one hour," (here I pulled out my
watch),--"in one hour and three minutes and five seconds, exactly; not
sooner. Go! quick! as you value your lives, your families, your
property. And hark, in your ear," (here I glared at them like a maniac,
and sank my voice to a deep hoarse whisper), "as you value the very
existence of your slaves, go, leave us instantly, and return at the hour
named!"

The men were evidently overawed by the vehemence of my manner and the
mysterious nature of my remarks. Without uttering a word they withdrew,
and locked the door behind them. Happily they left the torches.

As soon as they were gone I threw my arms round my comrade's neck, and,
resting my head on his shoulder, bemoaned our sad lot.

"Dear, dear Jack, have they hurt you?"

"Oh! nothing to speak of. But I say, Bob, my boy, what on earth can
this monstrous secret be? It must be something very tremendous?"

"My poor Jack," said I, regardless of his question, "your thumbs are
bruised and bleeding. Oh that I should have live