y as though it had
been day. The moment the ducks were in line I aimed and fired. They
every one squawked, turned over, and died. My pearl had pierced the
whole sixty-eight."

Boswell blushed.

"Ahem!" said Doctor Johnson. "It was a pity to lose the pearl."

"That," said Munchausen, "was the most interesting part of the story. I
had made a second calculation in order to save the pearl. I deduced the
amount of powder necessary to send the gem through sixty-seven and a half
birds, and my deduction was strictly accurate. It fulfilled its mission
of death on sixty-seven and was found buried in the heart of the sixty-
eighth, a trifle discolored, but still a pearl, and worth a king's
ransom."

Napoleon gave a derisive laugh, and the other guests sat with incredulity
depicted upon every line of their faces.

"Do you believe that story yourself, Baron?" asked Confucius.

"Why not?" asked the Baron. "Is there anything improbable in it? Why
should you disbelieve it? Look at our friend Washington here. Is there
any one here who knows more about truth than he does? He doesn't
disbelieve it. He's the only man at this table who treats me like a man
of honor."

"He's host and has to," said Johnson, shrugging his shoulders.

"Well, Washington, let me put the direct question to you," said the
Baron. "Say you aren't host and are under no obligation to be courteous.
Do you believe I haven't been telling the truth?"

"My dear Munchausen," said the General, "don't ask me. I'm not an
authority. I can't tell a lie--not even when I hear one. If you say
your story is true, I must believe it, of course; but--ah--really, if I
were you, I wouldn't tell it again unless I could produce the pearl and
the wish-bone of one of the ducks at least."

Whereupon, as the discussion was beginning to grow acrimonious,
Washington hailed Charon, and, ordering a boat, invited his guests to
accompany him over into the world of realities, where they passed the
balance of the evening haunting a vaudeville performance at one of the
London music-halls.

CHAPTER IV: HAMLET MAKES A SUGGESTION

It was a beautiful night on the Styx, and the silvery surface of that
picturesque stream was dotted with gondolas, canoes, and other craft to
an extent that made Charon feel like a highly prosperous savings-bank.
Within the house-boat were gathered a merry party, some of whom were on
mere pleasure bent, others of whom had come to listen to