eting.

"Well, Tom, how did you enjoy your dinner?"

"It was all right, only to-day I didn't have time enough to eat it."

"No, they cut us pretty short sometimes at dinner."

No incident of particular interest happens this afternoon. My fingers are
getting rather stiff and sore, working with the hard and brittle rattan
that they give us. It is discouraging to attempt good work with such
material, but we do the best we can. Stuhlmiller has taken the matter up
with John, the citizen instructor, whose last name I have not yet learned,
and with Captain Kane. They are thinking about repairing an old vat where
the withes can be properly heated and softened by steam. That is all
right, but it won't help my fingers much, as I shall be out of here long
before it is done.

About my going out there is a little joke. Every man wants to know how
long I'm going to stay here. I tell them I don't see how I can remain
beyond Sunday, as there is business I have to attend to in New York City
next week. Whereupon Jack winks his eye and, speaking to the questioner in
a loud whisper, says, "Oh, these new guys are always thinkin' they ain't
going to stay long. New trial, or pardon or something. He'll be here for
some time yet, so don't you worry. He's a little bug about going right
out, you know." A joke which has its non-humorous side; founded, as it
undoubtedly is, upon many a grim fact. As the Scotch saying runs, "A true
joke is no joke."

In the course of the afternoon, talking again of last night's occurrences
upon which no further light has come, I retail to Jack my visit from
Officer X this morning, and that gentleman's conversation. At the
conclusion Jack looks over to me with scorn on his honest face and blurts
out, "Say! I wonder what they take you for anyway!"

"For a damn fool, evidently; that is, some of them do," is my answer. "But
fortunately, Jack, they can't be all like that. Probably these officers
last night were afraid that I should hear the disturbance that young
fellow was making, and felt that they must hustle and get him out of the
way on that account. At least that's how I am inclined to figure it out."

"Well," says Jack, "some of them seem awful anxious to know all about you.
They come around to my cell every night and ask after my partner's health,
and want me to tell them about everythin' you say and do. But you can bet
I throw 'em off the track. Say," he continues, "I just wish you could have
seen one of