nly and his huge countenance was convulsed with pain, as he
clapped his hand to his face, and uttered a groan, which was at least
three parts composed of a growl.

"`Hooroo! whirr-r-hach! musha, but it's like the cratur o' Vesoovious
all alive-o--in me head. Av it don't split up me jaw--there--ha--och!'

"The giant stamped his foot with such violence that all the glasses,
cups, and vials in the room rang again, and, clapping both hands over
his mouth, he bent himself double in a paroxysm of agony.

"I felt a strange mixture of wild delight and alarm shoot through me.
The chance had come in my way, but in anticipating it I had somehow
always contemplated operating on some poor boy or old woman. My
thoughts had never depicted such a herculean and rude specimen of
humanity. At first, he would not believe me capable of extracting a
tooth; but I spoke with such cool self-possession and assurance--though
far from feeling either--that he consented to submit to the operation.
For the sake of additional security, I seated him on the floor, and took
his head between my knees; and I confess that when seated thus, in such
close proximity to his rugged as well as massive head, gazing into the
cavern filled with elephantine tusks, my heart almost failed me. Far
back, in the darkest corner of the cave, I saw the decayed tooth--a
massive lump of glistening ivory, with a black pit in the middle of it.
Screwing up my courage to the utmost, I applied the key. The giant
winced at the touch, but clasped his hard hands together--evidently
prepared for the worst. I began to twist with right good-will. The man
roared furiously, and gave a convulsive heave that almost upset myself
and the big chair, and disengaged the key!

"`Oh, come,' said I, remonstratively, `you ought to stand it better than
that! why, the worst of it was almost over.'

"`Was it, though?' he inquired earnestly, with an upward glance, that
gave to his countenance in that position a hideous aspect. `Sure it had
need be, for the worst baits all that iver I drained of. Go at it
again, me boy.'

"Resolving to make sure work of it next time, I fixed the key again,
and, after getting it pretty tight--at which point he evidently fancied
the worst had been again reached--I put forth all my strength in one
tremendous twist.

"I failed for a moment to draw the tusk, but I drew forth a prolonged
roar, that can by no means be conceived or described. The Irishman
strugg