fireworks hitched to THIS chair, have you?"

Judge Baxter laughed heartily. "No," he said, as soon as he could speak.
"No, Captain, my furniture isn't loaded."

The Captain shook his head. "Whew!" he whistled, sitting down gingerly
in the armchair. "Well, that's a mercy. I ain't so young as I used to be
and I couldn't stand many such shocks. Whew! Don't talk to ME! When that
devilish jig tune started up underneath me I'll bet I hopped up three
foot straight. I may be kind of slow sittin' down, but you'll bear me
out that I can GET UP sudden when it's necessary. And I thought the dum
thing never would STOP."

Mr. Hamilton stirred uneasily. "Hush, hush, Shadrach!" he pleaded.
"Don't be so profane. Remember you've just come from the graveyard."

"Come from it! By fire! There was a time there when I'd have been
willin' to go to it--yes, and stay. All I wanted was to get out of that
room and hide somewheres where folks couldn't look at me. I give you my
word I could feel myself heatin' up like an airtight stove. Good thing I
didn't have on a celluloid collar or 'twould have bust into a blaze. Of
all the dummed outrages to spring on a man, that--"

"Shadrach!"

"There, there, Zoeth! I'll calm down. But as for swearin'--well, if
you knew how full of cusswords I was there one spell you wouldn't
find fault; you'd thank me for holdin' 'em in. I had to batten down my
hatches to do it, though; I tell you that."