ionally on the window-panes, and in a few minutes the storm broke
forth in full violence.

As the old house had stood many such, in years gone by, I did not give
myself much concern about the gale; but pulled down the blind, placed my
little table and books near the stove, and, drawing in my chair, sat
down to think. How long I remained in this condition I cannot tell; but
my reveries were broken by the large clock on the stairs striking
twelve.

I started up, and clinching my hands exclaimed aloud, "No! I've made up
my mind, I _won't_ run away!" Under the impulse of the feeling I threw
open the door of the stove and heaped on fresh coals, muttering to
myself; as I did so, "No, I won't run away, I won't run away; no, no,
no, I won't run a--"

I was checked suddenly by my eye falling a second time on that terrific
African savage sending from his revolver a charge down the throat of
that magnificent Bengal tiger, that would have blown the inside entirely
out of any living creature smaller than an elephant. I sat down. I
gazed at the picture. I read the account. I followed up the
adventurous savage. My head reeled with excitement. A strange terrible
heat seemed to dart like lightning through my veins, and the book began
to flicker before my eyes. I became alarmed.

"Surely some terrible fever is seizing on me!" I exclaimed, and in the
terror of the thought I started up and paced my room rapidly. But the
fire increased, and my head swam. I meditated ringing the bell and
alarming the household; but the thought of this quieted me, and
gradually I became calmer.

It was at this moment that my former resolution returned upon me with
tenfold violence. "I'll submit to this no longer," I growled between my
teeth; "I _will_ run away!"

The instant I said that, I felt as if I were imbued with a determination
that nothing could shake. Jack's reasoning never once came into my
mind. I took down the knapsack that hung on a nail ready packed for the
intended fishing expedition of the morrow. I buckled it on; put on my
thickest shoes, and, seizing a stout cudgel, issued softly from my
apartment, and tapped gently at Jack's door.

"Come in!"

I entered, and was overwhelmed with surprise at finding my friend
standing in the middle of the room accoutred for the road just like
myself. He put his finger to his lips.

"Hush! Bob. I was on the point of going to your room to say that I've
made up my mind to run awa