the Judge, and without further ado she took off the
cloak, and the silk handkerchief beneath it, and stood before the court
dressed in a low black dress.

"I am afraid that I must ask you to come up here," said his Lordship.
Accordingly she walked round, mounted the bench, and then turned her
back to the Judge, in order that he might examine what was written on
it. This he did very carefully with the aid of a magnifying glass,
referring now and again to the photographic copy which Doctor Probate
had filed in the Registry.

"Thank you," he said presently, "that will do. I am afraid that the
learned counsel below will wish to have an opportunity of inspection."

So Augusta had to descend and slowly walk along the ranks, stopping
before every learned leader to be carefully examined, while hundreds of
eager eyes in the background were fixed upon her unfortunate neck.
However, at last it came to an end.

"That will do, Miss Smithers," said the Judge, for whose consideration
she felt deeply grateful; "you can put on your cloak again now."
Accordingly she did so and re-entered the box.

"The document which you have just shown the Court, Miss Smithers," said
James, "is the one which was executed upon you in Kerguelen Land on or
about the 22nd day of December last year?"

"It is."

"It was, I understand, executed in the presence of the testator and the
two attesting witnesses, all three being present together, and the
signature of each being tattooed in the presence of the other?"

"It was."

"Was the testator, so far as you could judge, at the time of the
dictation and execution of the will, of sound mind, memory, and
understanding?"

"Most certainly he was."

"Did you, beyond the suggestions of which you have already given
evidence, in any way unduly influence the testator's mind, so as to
induce him to make this will?"

"I did not."

"And to those facts you swear?"

"I do."

Then he passed on to the history of the death of the two sailors who had
attested the will, and to the account of Augusta's ultimate rescue,
finally closing his examination-in-chief just as the clock struck four,
whereon the Court adjourned till the following day.

As may be imagined, though things had gone fairly well so far, nobody
concerned of our party passed an over-comfortable night. The strain was
too great to admit of it; and really they were all glad to find
themselves in the court--which was, if possible, even more crowded