ent a night inside a dead horse
while a prairie fire swept over me in Montana Territory--an' another
time slept inside a dead buffler when the Comanches was on the war
path an' I didn't keer to leave my kyard on them. I've been two days
in a caved-in tunnel in the Billy Broncho gold mine in New Mexico, an'
was one of the four shut up for three parts of a day in the caisson
what slid over on her side when we was settin' the foundations of the
Buffalo Bridge. I've not funked an odd experience yet, an' I don't
propose to begin now!'

We saw that he was set on the experiment, so I said: 'Well, hurry up,
old man, and get through it quick!'

'All right, General,' said he, 'but I calculate we ain't quite ready
yet. The gentlemen, my predecessors, what stood in that thar canister,
didn't volunteer for the office--not much! And I guess there was some
ornamental tyin' up before the big stroke was made. I want to go into
this thing fair and square, so I must get fixed up proper first. I
dare say this old galoot can rise some string and tie me up accordin'
to sample?'

This was said interrogatively to the old custodian, but the latter,
who understood the drift of his speech, though perhaps not
appreciating to the full the niceties of dialect and imagery, shook
his head. His protest was, however, only formal and made to be
overcome. The American thrust a gold piece into his hand, saying:
'Take it, pard! it's your pot; and don't be skeer'd. This ain't no
necktie party that you're asked to assist in!' He produced some thin
frayed rope and proceeded to bind our companion with sufficient
strictness for the purpose. When the upper part of his body was bound,
Hutcheson said:

'Hold on a moment, Judge. Guess I'm too heavy for you to tote into the
canister. You jest let me walk in, and then you can wash up regardin'
my legs!'

Whilst speaking he had backed himself into the opening which was just
enough to hold him. It was a close fit and no mistake. Amelia looked
on with fear in her eyes, but she evidently did not like to say
anything. Then the custodian completed his task by tying the
American's feet together so that he was now absolutely helpless and
fixed in his voluntary prison. He seemed to really enjoy it, and the
incipient smile which was habitual to his face blossomed into
actuality as he said:

'Guess this here Eve was made out of the rib of a dwarf! There ain't
much room for a full-grown citizen of the United States to hu