pt myself in a cavern until I grew as
pale and thin as a hermit! Then I shaved off my hair, beard, mustaches
and eyebrows! Yes, blame you, I sacrificed all my beauty to your
interests! Fate helps those who help themselves! The camp meeting
gathering together hosts of people and preachers gave me the opportunity
of appearing without exciting inquiry. I put on a gray wig, a black
suit, assumed a feeble voice, stooping gait and a devout manner,
and--became a popular preacher at the camp meeting."

"Captain, you're a brick! You are indeed! I do not flatter you!" said
Hal. It was a sentiment in which all agreed.

"I had no need of further machination!" continued the captain; "they
actually gave me the game! I was urged to visit you here--forced to
remain alone and talk with you!" laughed Black Donald.

"And now, captain, my jewel, my treasure, my sweetheart--that I love
with 'a love passing the love of woman'--how is your reverence going to
get us out?"

"Listen!" said the captain, diving into his pockets, "you must get
yourselves out! This prison is by no means strongly fastened or well
guarded! Here are files to file off your fetters! Here are tools to pick
the locks, and here are three loaded revolvers to use against any of the
turnkey who might discover and attempt to stop you! To-night, however,
is the last of the camp meeting, and the two turnkeys are among my
hearers! I shall keep them all night! Now you know what to do! I must
leave you! Dick, try to make an assault on me that I may scream, but
first conceal your tools and arms!"

Hal hid the instruments and Dick, with an awful roar, sprang at the
visitor, who ran to the grating crying:

"Help--help!"

The warden came hurrying to the spot.

"Take 'im out o' this, then!" muttered Dick, sulkily getting back into
his corner.

"Oh, what a wretch!" said Mrs. Condiment.

"I shall be glad when he's once hanged!" said the jailer.

"I--I--fear that I can do them but little good, and--and I would rather
not come again, being sickly and nervous," faltered Father Gray.

"No, my dear good sir! I for one shall not ask you to risk your precious
health for such a set of wretches! They are Satan's own! You shall come
home to our tent and lie down to rest, and I will make you an egg-caudle
that will set you up again," said Mrs. Condiment, tenderly, as the whole
party left the cell.

That day the outrageous conduct of the imprisoned burglars was the
subject of conversa