"Don't spake another word about it," said the chief, briskly. "I'll find ye another room where ye'll be as comfortable as the Quane av England. Ye'll have as good a bed as the best." This sudden offer startled Russell and excited dreadful apprehensions. What would become of his bonds? He hastened now to modify his last words. "Oh, well," said he, "for that matter, you needn't trouble yourself. I dare say I shall do very well where I am." "Do very well, is it? What! an' you wid the rheumatiz! Sure to glory an' ye'll not do anything av the kind. I'll get yez another room where ye'll be warrum." "Oh, but," said Russell, in deep uneasiness, "I like that room, I do, really. I like the view and the--the--the ventilation. It's splendid--in fact it's the finest room to sleep in I ever saw. If you could only let me have a bed to myself--" "A bed to yerself? Sure an' that's jist what I'm going to give ye--a bed to yerself altogether an' a room too; an' so ye'll have comfort, an' warrunith, an' solichood all comboined." "But, really," persisted Russell, "my dear sir, all that is quite unnecessary." "Not a bit av it. Ye'll have the best; an' the room 'll be yours at onct, so it will; an' ye'll not go back to bed again in that frozen hole." "But I assure you--I assure you," persisted Russell, most earnestly, "it's a noble room--a comfortable room--a splendid room." "Oh, sure ye're too modest, so ye are," said the chief. "But nivir ye moind--lave it all to me. I'll fix it for ye." Russell was in deep dejection and anxiety, yet he felt afraid to press the matter too eagerly. To be taken away from the vicinity of his treasure was indeed a crushing blow, yet he dared not object too strongly lest the chief might suspect something. So he could only submit with the best grace possible under the circumstances, and find faint consolation in the thought that the treasure was at least secure. After a brief silence the chief resumed: "It's pained I am, so I am, to trouble a gintleman av fartune, but I'm undher the onplisint naycissichood av subjictin' ye to a further examination. It's a mite onplisint at first, but it's nothin' whin yer used to it." "Another examination?" repeated Russell, with no little uneasiness. "What is that?" "Oh, it's only an examination av yer apparel, yer clothes, bit by bit." "My clothes?" "Yes--to gyard against anythin' bein' concailed about ye." "But I have nothing concealed, on my honor!" At this the chief waved his hands deprecatingly. "Hush!" said he. "Whisht, will ye! don't I know it? begorra meself does. It's all a mere farrum. It's a laygal inactmint that I've got to follow. Discipline must be kept up. Sure an' if I didn't obey the law meself first an' foremost, me own mind 'ud all revolt against me, an' thin where'd I be? But it'll not be anythin'. Sure to glory, many's the fine man I've shtripped, an' him none the worse for it. So go ahead, fool, an' the sooner ye begin, the sooner it'll be over."