on glare of that infernal camera?

'That will be extremely popular,' he said, lowering the weapon as he
concluded. 'Your smile, perhaps, was a _little_ too broad, but the pose
was very fresh and unstudied.'

I have always read of the controlling power of the human eye upon wild
beasts and dangerous maniacs, and I fixed mine firmly upon him now as I
said sternly, 'Let me out at once--I wish to go.'

Perhaps I did not fix them quite long enough; perhaps the power of the
human eye has been exaggerated: I only know that for all the effect mine
had on him they might have been oysters.

'Not yet,' he said persuasively, 'not when we're getting on so nicely. I
may never be able to take you under such favourable conditions again.'

That, I thought, I could undertake to answer for; but who, alas! could
say whether I should ever leave that studio alive? For all I knew, he
might spend the whole day in photographing me, and then, with a madman's
caprice, shoot me as soon as it became too dark to go on any longer! The
proper course to take, I knew, was to humour him, to keep him in a good
temper, fool him to the top of his bent--it was my only chance.

'Well,' I said, 'perhaps you're right. I--I'm in no great hurry. Were
you thinking of taking me in some different style? I am quite at your
disposition.'

He brought out a small but stout property-mast, and arranged it against
a canvas background of coast scenery. 'I generally use it for children
in sailor costume,' he said, 'but I _think_ it will bear your weight
long enough for the purpose.'

I wiped my brow. 'You are not going to ask me to climb that thing?' I
faltered.

'Well,' he suggested, 'if you will just arrange yourself upon the
cross-trees in a negligent attitude, upside down, with your tongue
protruded as if for medical inspection, I shall be perfectly satisfied.'

I tried argument. 'I should have no objection in the world,' I said;
'it's an excellent idea--only, _do_ sailors ever climb masts in that
way? Wouldn't it be better to have the thing correct while we're about
it?'

'I was not aware that you were a sailor,' he said; '_are_ you?'

I was afraid to say I was, because I apprehended that, if I did, it
might occur to him to put me through some still more frightful
performance.

'Come,' he said, 'you won't compel me to shed blood so early in the
afternoon, will you? Up with you.'

I got up, but, as I hung there, I tried to obtain a modification of
some