d the required leap; for
minutes at a time his legs and petticoat described confused circles in
the air, appearing to have taken a final leave of the earth; but, the
effort ended, he invariably descended to the ground with a quiet dignity
and composure that showed how little the inward monkey partook of the
antics of the outward animal. Drawing my companion a little aside, I
ventured to suggest a few thoughts to him on the subject.

"Really, Captain Poke, it appears to me there is great injustice in the
treatment of these poor creatures!" I said. "What right have these two
foul-looking blackguards to seize upon beings much more interesting
to the eye and, I dare say, far more intellectual than themselves, and
cause them to throw their legs about in this extravagant manner, under
the penalty of stripes, and without regard to their feelings or
their convenience? I say, sir, the measure appears to me intolerably
oppressive, and it calls for prompt redress."

"King!"

"King or subject, it does not alter the moral deformity of the act. What
have these innocent beings done that they should be subjected to this
disgrace? Are they not flesh and blood like ourselves--do they not
approach nearer to our form and, for aught we know to the contrary, to
our reason, than any other animal? and is it tolerable that our nearest
imitations, our very cousins, should be thus dealt by? Are they dogs
that they are treated like dogs?"

"Why, to my notion, Sir John, there isn't a dog on 'arth that can take
such a summerset. Their flapjacks are quite extraor'nary!"

"Yes, sir, and more than extraordinary; they are oppressive. Place
yourself, Mr. Poke, for a single instant, in the situation of one of
these persons; fancy that you had a hussar jacket squeezed upon your
brawny shoulders, a petticoat placed over your lower extremities, a
Spanish hat with bedraggled feathers set upon your head, a wooden sword
stuck at your side, and a broom put into your hand; and that these two
Savoyards were to menace you with stripes unless you consented to throw
summersets for the amusement of strangers--I only ask you to make the
case your own sir, and then say what course you would take and what you
would do?"

"I would lick both of these young blackguards, Sir John, without
remorse, break the sword and broom over their heads, kick their
sensibilities till they couldn't see, and take my course for Stunin'tun,
where I belong."

"Yes, sir, this might do