Morrison entered. He greeted them with a wide smile that did not fit the seriousness of the situation, as they viewed it. There was humor behind the smile; it suggested suppressed hilarity; it hinted that he had something funny to tell them. But their grim countenances did not encourage him. "If I am intruding on important business----" "Shut the door behind you! What is it? What happened?" demanded North. Before shutting the door Morrison reached into the gloom behind him and pulled in a soldier. Stewart had put off his evening garb. He wore a business suit of the shaggy gray mixture that was one of the staples among the products of St. Ronan's mill. His matter-of-fact attire was not the only element that set him out in sharp contrast among the claw-hammers and uniforms in the room; he was bubbling with undisguised merriment; Corson, Daunt, and the Governor were sullenly anxious; even the young soldier looked flustered and frightened. "I have brought along Paul Duchesne so that you may have it from his own mouth! Go ahead, Duchesne! Let 'em in on the joke! Gentlemen, get ready for a laugh!" Stewart set an example for them by a suggestive chuckle. "Your arrival in the State House seems to have been attended by considerable of a demonstration," commented Senator Corson, recovering himself sufficiently to indulge in his animosity. "Judging from your success in starting other riots this evening, I ought to have guessed that you were in the neighborhood." "My arrival had nothing whatever to do with the demonstration, Senator. Go on, Duchesne!" "I jomped myself," stammered the soldier, a particularly crestfallen Canuck. "I see you don't grasp the idea," Morrison hastened to put in. "We mustn't have the flavor of the joke spoiled. I know Paul, here. He works in my mill. He has a little affliction that's rather common among French Canadians. He's a jumper." He suddenly clapped the youth on the shoulder and yelled "Hi!" so loudly that all the auditors leaped in trepidation. The soldier leaped the highest, flung his arms about wildly, and let out a resounding yelp. "That's the idea!" explained Stewart. "A congenital nervous trouble. Jumpers, they are called!" "What the devil is this all about?" raged the Governor. "Tell 'em, Paul. Hurry up!" "I gone off on de nap on a settee," muttered Duchesne, twisting his fingers together. General Totten winced. "Dere ban whole lot o' dem gone off on de nap, too," asserted the guard, offering defense for himself. "By way of showing alertness, Totten!" growled the Senator. "So I ban dream somet'ing! Ba gar! I dream dat t'ree or two bobcat he come--" "Never mind the details of the dream, Paul!" interposed Morrison. "These gentlemen have business! Get 'em to the laugh, quick!"