among the many extinct vices of our virtuous
land.

"4. That, strange as it may appear, one creature
can consume another, bigger than itself, without
greater inconvenience than may naturally result
from eating an over-hearty dinner.

"He left the matter, with the most complete
confidence, to their decision. One word more.
The learned judge would, probably, tell them
that, should they entertain any doubt, the
prisoner was entitled to the benefit of that doubt.
He would, however, respectfully suggest that,
seeing how often prisoners had enjoyed such
pulls, it was high time justice had her innings.
He claimed the doubt on behalf of the crown.

"Sundry witnesses were then examined, and
among others, of course, the three platelayers.
At the evidence of the latter the learned judge
(Squall) pricked up his ears.

"'But, surely, brother Bullseye,' said the judge,
'your own witnesses contradict your theory!
They saw the body flung from the carriage. How
then could it have been disposed of in the way
you suggest?'

"'I do not, my lud,' replied Mr. Bullseye,
'usually deal in hyperbolic praise; but your
ludship will permit me to say that nothing short of
your ludship's superhuman penetration, could
have so immediately, and with such needle-like
precision, touched the one weak point in our
case! The witnesses may have been
deceived——'

"'But, really, your theory——'

"'My lud, my lud,' responded the learned
counsel with some heat, 'if your ludship can
find a better, I beg you will do so.'

"The little skirmish over, the name of Dr.
Chipham was called, and that distinguished
physician, surgeon, and comparative-anatomist,
entered the witness-box, and was examined by
Mr. Owdyce.

"After some preliminary questions:

"'You have, I believe, Dr. Chipham,' said Mr.
Owdyce, 'expended much inquiry into the
prolongation of vitality, under embarrassing
circumstances?'

"'I have.'

"'In the pursuit of this investigation, you have
experimented upon a large number of living
animals?'

"'I have.'

"'May I ask how many?'

"'About thirteen thousand.'

"'Of what species, doctor?'

"'Cats, rats, bats, sprats, dogs, frogs, hogs,
donkeys, monkeys, bab——'

"'Babies, sir?' exclaimed Mr. Justice Squall,
hastily.

"'—Boons, my lord, racoons, and all the
larger and smaller British birds, especially the
finch-family,' concluded the philosopher.

"'What was the usual nature of your experiments?'

"'I generally cut off a limb or two. Sometimes
all.'

"'In the course of science, you have had occasion
to deprive such and such animals of a limb
or two, sometimes all,' repeated Mr. Owdyce,
thoughtfully. 'Now, sir, let me ask you what
effect usually followed?'

"'In the case of one limb (I speak of quadrupeds),'
said the doctor, 'lively, but spasmodic,
action in the remaining members; two limbs,
embarrassment in movement, weakness, agitation;
three limbs, great depression of spirits,
accompanied with disinclination to rise; four
limbs, generally death.'

"'In respect to the biped—say, for example,
the human subject—does your experience enable
you to guess, sir, whether an individual deprived
of one foot, could hop away on the other?'

"'That would depend somewhat on the nervous
system, I take it.'

"'Suppose the case of a delicate young lady?'

"'I should say, impossible.'

"The witness withdrew.

"The prisoner, who had paid marked attention
to the later testimony, and had been observed to
glance repeatedly at the judge (Rumpus), as
noting the effect of the evidence on the mind of
that eminent lawyer, here handed down a slip of
paper, which was passed on to his counsel, Mr.
Sergeant Calantine. The latter smiled, nodded
approvingly, and gave it to his junior, Mr. Egbert
Bee, who crammed his handkerchief into his
mouth, and bent over his papers, with a suffused
brow.

"'If,' said Mr. Justice Rumpus, 'the prisoner
desire to make any direct communication to the
court, we are ready to hear it.'

"'Hem,' said Mr. Serjeant Calantine, 'my
lud, hem——'

"Counsel conferred together, and the paper was
handed across the table to the attorney-general,
who had just come in. A smiling conversation
ensued, and the judge, whose curiosity became
powerfully excited, again interposed: remarking
that, as the paper in question had been submitted
to all parties, there could be no possible objection
to the court's participation in the 'secret.'

"Now, the slip, in fact, contained a simple,
though masterly sketch, in the burlesque style,
of the judge himself: full credit being given by
the artist to the preponderance of nose and
obliquity of vision which characterised the learned
man.

"'Well, Mr. Attorney,' said the latter,
impatiently, 'is not that document to be handed up?'

"'It—it isn't—excuse me, my lud—for your
ludship's—hem—eye,' said Mr. Attorney.

"'My lud, there is an objection on the face of
it,' added Mr. Serjeant Calantine.

"'What is the objection?'

"'Your ludship('s) knows,' replied the learned
serjeant.

"The judge threw himself back in his chair,
evidently disappointed, and motioned for the
trial to proceed.

"Counsel for the prosecution announced their
case complete.