im in repairing the damages done to
his costume by his descent through the stage.

It was now time that the dead Othello should do his song and dance,
and in a very audible whisper he informed Mopsey that he had better
get off, and give him the chance. Some of the audience suggested the
same thing, and very reluctantly Mopsey left the stage, while Johnny
concluded the act in a highly successful manner by a dance that was
considerably better executed than was his sword-play.

CHAPTER XI.

THE EVENING'S ENTERTAINMENT.

Surely if noise was any proof that the audience was satisfied with the
performance given by Mopsey's company, then all must have been highly
delighted, for such confusion was probably never heard in that house
before as when the curtain fell on the first act of this new edition
of Shakespeare's plays. The actors were in a perfect whirl of delight,
and all save Dickey showed it by dancing and shaking hands, until
there was almost as much confusion behind the curtain as in front.

Mopsey was so delighted at the success that his gigantic brain
conceived a startling idea for the entrance of the ghost, which was
neither more nor less than for Ben to crouch under the stage, in the
very hole where Johnny had come to grief, and at the proper time to
rise up in a ghostly fashion, which must surely be very effective. Ben
was disposed to object to this hiding under the flooring, more
especially since he would be enveloped in the sheet, and would
doubtless be uncomfortably warm; but all his objections were
overruled by the author and company, and he gave a very unwilling
assent to the proposition.

In order that the audience might not be kept waiting until their
patience was exhausted, or their good-humor began to evaporate, the
curtain was raised as soon as the ghost could be tucked away in his
hiding-place, and Paul made his first appearance on any stage. Mopsey
had explained to him the part which he was to assume, and in a
well-thumbed copy of Shakespeare's works belonging to Mrs. Green he
had found the lines which Hamlet is supposed to speak after he sees
the ghost. These he had committed to memory, although he had little
idea of the meaning of them; and when he came upon the stage he
addressed the audience as if in them he saw the ghost of his murdered
father.

Now Ben had seen the play of "Hamlet" several times, and he knew
enough about it to know that the speech Paul was delivering should be
ad