big murphy, which he held with
the thumb of his left hand and fingers circling about it. The upper end
projected slightly above the thumb and forefinger, as if peeping out to
watch proceedings. The three stopped eating for the moment and watched
the youth. While doing this, Chester glanced for an instant at the face
of the officer, and saw him look quickly across the room and telegraph
another wink.

Like a professional magician, Mike was very deliberate in order to be
more impressive. The true artist does not overlook the minutest point,
and he daintily adjusted the potato, shifting it about until it was
poised exactly right. Then he slowly raised his open right hand, with the
palm downward, until it was above his head. Like a flash he brought it
down upon the upper end of the tuber, which shot through the loose
encircling grasp as if fired from an air gun. The skin remained, but the
potato itself whisked down upon the table with such force that it popped
open, and lo!

"There's the heart of an Irishman--Begoora! but I'm mistook!" exclaimed
Mike in dismay, for when the tuber burst open the interior was black with
decay!

Calvert threw back his head and roared, and Alvin and Chester came near
falling from their chairs. Even the man at the other table joined in the
boisterous merriment, which was increased by the comical expression of
Mike. With open mouth and staring eyes he sat dumfounded. For once in his
life he was caught so fairly that he was speechless.

The deft little trick he had performed many times, but never before had
he been victimized by what seemed to be a rich, mealy potato. He couldn't
understand it.

Oddly enough the stranger was the first to recover his speech. He must
have had little liking for Hibernians, since he called:

"You're right, young man! You showed us the heart of a real Irishman!"

With lower jaw still drooping, Mike turned his head and stared at the
speaker. He yearned to crush him with a suitable reply, but all his wit
had been knocked out of him by the cruel blow of fate. However, it could
not long remain so. He picked up the fragments of the potato, fumbled
them reprovingly and gravely laid them on the tablecloth beside his
plate. Then the old grin bisected his homely face, and addressing the
three, he said:

"I made a slight mistake, as Jerry Sullivan said whin he stepped out of
the third story windy thinking it was the top of the stairs. If it's all
the same to yees, we'l