now, and he kinder kicks. So he says when he came, "I'm going
to be out of apron-strings for a bit," and I don't want him to go near
home till he's fit to meet the lady. She's a screamer, she is--a real
swell; and she'd go off her head if she saw him with 'em on. I'll tell
you what we'll do. I've got one bromide of potass draught. We'll get
that into him somehow, and in the morning we may manage to feed him.
During the day we'll get some more stuff from the doctor, and patch him
up ready for home I don't care to see him again, for there's no stopping
him."

When I went up to our room, Bob was lying on the floor, and breathing
heavily. He opened his eyes, rose, and staggered a little; then he said,
"B'lieve I can walk a bit; come out for a stroll on the tow-path." The
moon was charging through wild clouds, and the river was flecked
alternately by strong lights and broad swathes of shadow. Bob muttered
as he walked; so, to give him an excuse for conversation, I said, "Why
were you chucking the hardware so gay and free, Robert?" He put his lips
to my ear, and said, "That pink tom cat has followed me for ever so
long, and I can't do for him anyhow. By God, he's everywhere! A pink
cat, you know, with eyes made of red fire. He's on to me just when I
don't expect him. Take me for a row. The brute can't come on the water."

"You'll never go out to-night!"

"Won't I? And so will you, or I'll know the reason why!"

I had not secured that Derringer.

I picked a big, broad boat at the inn stairs, and we were soon dropping
gently over the tide, but I would not row hard, as I wanted to be near
assistance. To my astonishment Darbishire began to talk quite lucidly,
and went on for a few minutes with all the charm that distinguished him
when he was sober. By some strange process the blood had begun to
circulate with regularity in the vessels of the impoverished brain, and
the man was sane. I was overjoyed, and in the fulness of my heart I
said, "We'll drive home, or row there to-morrow. My dear fellow, I
thought you were going dotty." His jaw fell; he yelled, "Stop him--stop
him! He's coming with his mouth open! Oh! red-hot teeth and his belly
full of flames--the cat! Oh, I'll stand this no more--you brute, you
shall drown!" In an instant he sprang overboard; the clouds came over
the moon, and I could only tell Bob's whereabouts by hearing him
wallowing and snarling like a dog. I backed up to him, leaned over, and
passed one of the