s! I could distinguish between them--and there were those of
Col. Nelson beside them--the three persons evidently in close
propinquity.

"What a dreadful looking creature!" said Susannah.

"Dreadful!" said Emmeline, "I see nothing so dreadful in him. He seems
tame enough. I'm sure, if that's a madman, I don't see why people
should be afraid of them."

"Poor man, how bloody he is!" said Susannah.

"We had to tap him, Miss, a leetle upon the head, to bring him quiet.
He's tame and innocent now, but you should see him when he's going to
break out. Only just hear him when he laughs."

I could not resist the temptation. The last remark of my keeper fell
on my ears like a suggestion, and suddenly shooting up my head, and
glaring fiercely at the spectators, I gave them a yell of laughter as
terrible as I could possibly make it.

"Ah!" was the shriek of Susannah, as she dashed back from the logs.
Before the sounds had well ceased, they were echoed from without and in
more fearful and natural style from the practised lungs of Col. Nelson.
His yells following mine, were enough to startle even me.

"What!" he cried, thrusting his fingers through the crevice, "you would
come out, would you,--you would try your strength with mine. Let him
out,--let him out! I am ready for him, breast to breast, man against
man, tooth and nail, forever and forever. You can laugh too, but--
Ha! Ha! Ha!--what do you say to that? Shut up, shut up, and be
ashamed of yourself. Ha! Ha! Ha!"

There was a sensation without. I could see that Emmeline recoiled from
the side of her companion. He had thrown himself into an attitude, had
grappled the logs of my dungeon, and exhibited a degree of strange
emotion, which, to say the least, took everybody by surprise. My chief
custodian was the first to speak.

"Don't be scared, Mr.--there's no danger--he can't get out."

"But I say let him out--let him out. Look at him, ladies--look at him.
You shall see what a madman is--you shall see how I can manage him.
Hark ye, fellow,--out with him at once. Give me your whip--I know all
about his treatment. You shall see me work him. I'll manage
him,--I'll fight with him, and laugh with him too--how we shall
laugh--Ha! Ha! Ha!"

His horrible laughter--for it was horrible--was cut short by an
unexpected incident. He was knocked down as suddenly as I had been,
with a blow from behind, to the astonishment of all around. The
assailant was the