Chacot that I desire
him to bring the creature out on the stage, and let him perform his
tricks before me. Come, my friends, come in, you shall see the sight
without payment this time."

Whether Chacot was aware or not that I had brought the mayor, I could
not tell, as he might not have observed me among the crowd.

In a short time the door of the stage opened, and Chacot appeared,
dragging in the bear, who came very reluctantly, urged on by one of the
young fellows from behind with a pike.

Larry was going through his performances, when the mayor said, turning
to me--

"Speak to him, and tell him to come down quickly. I see the whole
trick; no bear would walk as that creature does."

No sooner did Larry hear my voice than he sprang off the stage, before
Chacot or his sons could stop him, and I rushed forward to meet him,
followed by Monsieur Pontet.

"Have any of you a knife?" asked the worthy magistrate. "Hand it to me
at once."

A knife was given him, and he began forthwith to cut away at the
bear-skin, Larry standing patiently while the operation was going
forward.

He soon got the head off, when Larry's honest countenance was displayed
beneath it.

Loud shouts of laughter burst from the people, mingled with no small
amount of abuse hurled at Chacot for the trick he had played them.

As the mayor proceeded, a quantity of hay tumbled out, which had served
to stuff out poor Larry to the required proportions.

"Faith, Mr Terence dear, you'd better not take it off altogether before
so many decent people; for, to say the truth, I've got nothing under it
but my bare skin," said Larry to me in a subdued voice.

Such, indeed, I perceived to be the case, as did the mayor.

"Bring the man's clothes at once, and let him have a room in which he
may dress himself properly," he exclaimed to Chacot, who had, by the
mayor's orders, remained on the stage, and had been watching our
proceedings.

Chacot, with no very good grace, obeyed, and I, fearing that some
violence might be offered, accompanied him into the room.

Chacot soon appeared with a seaman's dress, which Larry, jumping out of
his bear-skin, quickly put on.

As yet he had had no time to tell me how he had come into the power of
the French fisherman; and as I also did not wish to keep the mayor
waiting, as soon as Larry was ready, we hurried out to join him.

"I'll have my revenge on you one of these days," I heard Chacot exclaim,
but I thought it