"Dunno," the other fellow replied. "Hope they'll come afore long and settle the matter, so that we'll know what we've got to do." "How d'ye think it's going?" "Dunno. Reckon the majority'll be ag'in' the poor cuss." "I'm thinkin' that way, too. I kinder hope not, though, for I don't fancy the job." "Pshaw! you're chicken-hearted, without cause. He's never made love to you." "Darn it, no; but he's too fine a specimen of manhood to feed to the sharks." "Pooh! Many's the one better'n he wot's enriched the bottom o' the sea. I wonder who the Irishman was, we met at the front?" "Some tramp, I allow, who'd sought a night's shelter here, and got skeered at our friend Bill," and he glanced at the swinging head with a laugh. "Hello! I say, Bill, how are you getting along in your new place o' residence?" "First-rate!" apparently answered the grinning head, followed by a ghostly sort of a gurgling laugh. "Jehosaphat!" cried the questioner, leaping to his feet. "Thunder and lightning! Did ye hear that, Hand?" "Waal, I should murmur," Hank grunted, leaving the table with a spring, and landing near the door. "What the devil's the matter?" "Cussed ef the cadaver o' Bill Budge didn't speak," the first man cried. "Git out! Budge has bin dead over a year; how in thunder could he speak?" "Mebbe his spirit hes come back inter his head." "Pooh! impossible! It was our fancy; we didn't hear nothin'," Hank growled, edging a little nearer to the door. "You're a liar!" thundered a voice, seeming to come directly from between the pearly teeth of the suspended head, and to make matters worse, the head began to swing slowly to and fro. With howls and curses, the two masked men made the hastiest kind of an exit from the room and down the stairs, while Fritz in the attic was convulsed with laughter. "Dot was better as half-a-dozen suppers, py shimminy!" he snorted, holding his sides. All was now quiet for some time, except for the howling of the storm without. But, finally, footsteps were again heard, and eight men, all masked but one, filed into the room. The eighth man was a young man, of prepossessing appearance, unmasked, and had his hands bound behind his back. He was better dressed than his grim captors, and there was a fearless, cool expression upon his face, that at once won Fritz's admiration. "Ha! Hank and Jim have been here already, and gone!" a tall, broad-shouldered member of the party said. "They'll be back directly, no doubt. And now, Hal Hartly, we will proceed to review your case, and dispose of it according to the decision of the majority." "Go ahead, captain!" the prisoner replied, calmly. "I am as well prepared now, as I shall be." CHAPTER V. BILL BUDGE'S CONVERSATION. To Fritz, the scene below of course began to grow more interesting. "Dot veller vas goin' to pe tried for somedings," he muttered, "und vot ish more, uff der verdict don't vas in his favor, he vas goin' der git sp'iled."