"Why, with my pocket-knife, of course. We could whittle enough chips off it to make a good big fire, and still have enough left for a bench. In fact, we could get enough fuel off that for a dozen fires. Why, man, there must be at least a cord of wood in that bench. Whittling's rather slow work, it's true, but in a place like this it'll be an occupation, and that's something. Prisoners go mad unless they have something to do; and so, just to save myself from madness, I mean to go in for fuel--unless you can think of something else that's better." Rattling out this in his usual lively fashion, Harry went to the bench, and began a solemn examination of it, with a view toward whittling it up into firewood. Russell did not move, but regarded Harry with the same silent misery in his face. At last he spoke: "What did-did-do you think they're a-going to did-did-do?" "Who?" asked Harry. "Why, these people--that kik-kik-captured us." "These Carlists? Well, I don't know--seems to me they want to make some money out of us." "Why did they let all the Spaniards go and kik-kik-capture us?" "Oh, well, they think as we're English we'll probably have more money about us than their own countrymen, and be safer plunder also." "Did-did-do you think they'll go so far as to pip-pup-plunder us?" asked Russell, in a voice of horror. "Haven't a doubt of it." "Oh Lord!" groaned the other. "What's the matter?" Russell gave a fresh groan. "This kik kik-cursed kik-kik-country!" he at length ejaculated. "Oh, well," said Harry, "it isn't the country, it's the people." "Do you think they're really Kik-kik-Carlists?" "Well, yes. I don't see any reason why they shouldn't be." "I was thinking that they might be bub-bub-bandits." "Well, there isn't any very great difference between the two, so far as we are concerned." "But isn't there any law among the Kik-kik-Carlists? Can't we appeal to Did-did-Don Carlos?" "Oh yes, of course--if we could only get at him, and if he could only get at us; but these two things are just what can't be done. And so I'm afraid we'll have to make up our minds to pay the piper." At this Russell again gave a heavy groan. "Don't be alarmed," said Hurry, in a soothing tone. "We can beat them down." "No," moaned Russell, "we can't do anything. And I've got too much about me altogether." "You haven't carried any large sum of money with you, surely?" cried Harry. "Why, man, you're mad!" "But I didn't think there'd be any danger on the railway," said Russell. "If your money is in bills of exchange you'll be right enough," said Harry. Russell shook his head. "No," said he, "it's worse than that." "How?" "My money is in bub-bub-bonds--Spanish bub-bub-bonds." "Bonds!" repeated Harry. "Yes," groaned Russell--"kik-kik-coupon bub-bub-bonds." "Coupon bonds! Why, man, what in Heaven's name are you doing with coupon bonds in this country?" "Why, they're Spanish bonds, and I was taking them out of the country to England."