rst witness to step down, he called the second dog-catcher.

"'What is your business?' asked Coke, after the usual preliminary
questions.

"'I'm out of business. Livin' on my damages,' said the witness.

"'What damages?' asked Coke.

"'Them I got from the city for injuries did me by that there--I should
say them there--dorgs, Cerberus.'

"'Them there what?' persisted Coke, to emphasize the point.

"'Dorgs,' said the witness, convincingly--'D-o-r-g-s.'

"'Why s?' queried Coke. 'We may admit the r, but why the s?'

"'Because it's the pullural of dorg. Cerberus ain't any single-headed
commission,' said the witness, who was something of a ward politician.

"'Why do you say that Cerberus is more than one dog?'

"'Because I've had experience,' replied the witness. 'I've seen the time
when he was everywhere all at once; that's why I say he's more than one
dorg. If he'd been only one dorg he couldn't have been anywhere else
than where he was.'

"'When was that?'

"'When I lassoed him.'

"'Him?' remonstrated Coke.

"'Yes,' said the witness. 'I only caught one of him, and then the other
two took a hand.'

"'Ah, the other two,' said Coke. 'You know dogs when you see them?'

"'I do, and he was all of 'em in a bunch,' replied the witness.

"'Your witness,' said Coke.

"'My friend,' said Catiline, rising quietly. 'How many men are you?'

"'One, sir,' was the answer.

"'Have you ever been in two places at once?'

"'Yes, sir.'

"'When was that?'

"'When I was in jail and in London all at the same time.'

"'Very good; but were you in two places on the day of this attack upon
you by Cerberus?'

"'No, sir. I wish I had been. I'd have stayed in the other place.'

"'Then if you were in but one place yourself, how do you know that
Cerberus was in more than one place?'

"'Well, I guess if you--'

"'Answer the question,' said Catiline.

"'Oh, well--of course--'

"'Of course,' echoed Catiline. 'That's it, your honor; it is only "of
course,"--and I rest my case. We have no witnesses to call. We have
proven by their own witnesses that there is no evidence of Cerberus
being more than one dog.'

"You ought to have heard the cheers as Catiline sat down," continued
Boswell. "As for poor Coke, he was regularly knocked out, but he rose
up to sum up his case as best he could. Blackstone, however, stopped him
right at the beginning.

"'The counsel for the plaintiff might as well sit down,' he said, 'and
save his