"It is under the superintendence of Dr. Mowbray," said Seddon. "I know him well." "Dr. Mowbray was awakened by the farmers loudly calling at the door. 'What do you want?' said he, putting his head out the window. "'We've got a crazy man here,' said Farmer Brown, 'and want to get him off our hands. Come down, doctor, and take him in.' "The doctor dressed himself and came down. 'Here he is,' said Farmer Jones. 'He is as mad as the moon can make a man!' "'I am not mad! I am not mad!' exclaimed Pate, in the bottom of the cart. "'He is talking poetry,' said Brown. 'I heard my little boy speak that at school.' "'My men,' said the doctor, 'whom have you got here? Why, it is Mr. Pate! When did he go mad?' "'I am not mad! I am not mad!' piteously exclaimed poor Pate. "'Don't you hear that, doctor?' said Jones. 'He is as crazy as an old cow with a wolf in her back!' "'Who sent him here?' asked the doctor. "The farmers now told their story. "'My men,' said the doctor, 'I fear that you have acted without sufficient authority. Let me talk to Mr. Pate.' "After a conversation with the unhappy captive, the doctor told his captors that they had better go home and attend to their own business; that Pate was not crazy, and might have every one of them prosecuted for a burglarious entry into his house in the night-time. When the farmers heard this they fled with precipitation, leaving their captive in the hands of the doctor, who unbound him and treated him kindly, and, after breakfast, loaned him a horse, on which he rode back to his home." "What did Pate do after he was declared sane by the doctor and released from captivity?" asked the Professor. "He proceeded with his preparations for the tournament," said Toney. "His views in relation to tilting at a ring were unanimously approved by the committee; though the Noble Nonentity suggested, that as the weather would be very sultry, each knight should be allowed to carry an umbrella to protect himself from the heat of the sun. This prudent suggestion, intended to guard against the danger of _coup de soleil_, is still under consideration, and is a matter yet to be decided by the committee, to meet which was the cause of Pate's hurried departure on yesterday." "When does the tournament come off?" asked Tom Seddon. "Next Monday," said Toney. "Tom, you must be here on that day." "I most certainly will," said Tom. "And I, too," said the Professor. "Are you going back with Tom?" asked Toney. "I intend to return to Bella Vista for the purpose of protecting Mr. Seddon from Dr. Bull, if that eminent physician should undertake to make any more experiments in phlebotomy," said the Professor. "But I will be here on the day of the tourney. Good-by, Toney." "Good-by, Charley; good-by, Tom," said Toney, shaking hands with his two friends, who proceeded to the cars, and took passage for Bella Vista. CHAPTER XXVI.