perhaps be described as the escape
of a Turkish captive by leaping from the upper floor of the Sultan's
seraglio into the arms of her gallant rescuer, who would be American,
British, French, German, or Spanish, according to the predominating
nationality of my audience. Or it might be called 'A Thrilling
Incident of the Great New York Fire,' in which case Juliet's moonlight
would be spoken of as 'devastating flames,' and Romeo's mandolin would
figure as a fireman's helmet. It is a painting of infinite
possibilities, any one of which may be impressed upon an audience by a
judiciously selected title and the skilful directing of their
imagination. Although I am proud of this picture, I have a number of
other 'composites' that are even more startling than this in the
variety of scenes that they can be made to illustrate. By studying
them you will learn that the whole secret of artistic success lies in
the selection of titles that appeal to and direct the imagination of
the critic, the spectator, or the would-be purchaser. I would gladly
exhibit and explain them to you now, but business before pleasure; so,
if you are dressed, let us to breakfast."

While Winn was eating his late breakfast, Billy Brackett, only a couple
of miles away, was gazing with an expression of the blankest amazement
at his nephew's note-book. "How in the name of all that is mysterious
and improbable did this book happen to be in that coat, that coat in
that skiff, that skiff on that raft, and that raft here? It certainly
seems as though I had brought the skiff from the raft--at least this
man says I did. You are certain that I came in that identical boat,
are you?"

"Certain, sir," replied the watchman to whom this question was
addressed.

"No one else could have come in this skiff, and then gone off in mine
by mistake?"

"Impossible, sir. I have been wide-awake all night, and there has not
been another soul aboard this wharf-boat until just now. Besides, I
took that coat from the skiff just after you left it last evening."

"Then," said Billy Brackett, "the chain of evidence seems to be
unbroken, incredible as it may appear, and it stretches from here
straight away down the river--book coat, coat skiff, skiff raft, raft
Winn. Now, in order to bring its ends together, and recover my
long-lost nephew, I must again overtake that raft. I must start as
soon as possible after breakfast, too. I don't know whether the game
Winn and I are