nature made it. Talk about enlightened government under a man
who'll permit things like that to be done!"

I ought not to have done it, but I couldn't help smiling.

"I must say," I observed, apologetically, "that the treatment
was barbarous, but really I do think it showed a sense of
humor on the part of the government."

"No doubt," replied Boswell, with a sigh; "but when the
joke is on me I don't enjoy it very much. I'm only human,
and should prefer to observe that the government had some
sense of justice."

The apparently empty chair before the machine gave a slight
hitch forward, and the type-writer began to tap again.

"You'll have to excuse me now," observed Boswell through the
usual medium. "I have work to do, and if you'll go to bed like
a good fellow, while I copy off the minutes of the last meeting
of the Authors' Club, I'll see that you don't lose anything by
it. After I get the minutes done I have an interesting story for
my Sunday paper from the advance sheets of Munchausen's Further
Recollections, which I shall take great pleasure in leaving for
you when I depart. If you will take the bundle of manuscript
I leave with you and boil it in alcohol for ten minutes, you
will be able to read it, and, no doubt, if you copy it off,
sell it for a goodly sum. It is guaranteed absolutely genuine."

"Very well," said I, rising, "I'll go; but I should think you