red into Wilson's room. Wilson was busy, as usual, at
some of his mechanical contrivances.

"Thrusting his hands deep into his breeches pockets and seating himself
on an old sea-chest, he began,--

"`I say, Wilson, will you do me a favour?'

"`That depends entirely on what the favour is,' he replied, without
raising his head from his work.

"`I want you to help me to cut off an Indian's head!'

"`Then I _won't_ do you the favour. But pray, don't humbug me just now;
I'm busy.'

"`No; but I'm serious, and I can't get it done without help, and I know
you're an obliging fellow. Besides, the savage is dead, and has no
manner of use for his head now.'

"Wilson turned round with a look of intelligence on hearing this.

"`Ha!' he exclaimed, `I see what you're up to; but I don't half like it.
In the first place, his friends would be terribly cut up if they heard
of it; and then I've no sort of aptitude for the work of a
resurrectionist; and then, if it got wind, we should never hear the last
of it; and then--'

"`And then,' interrupted the doctor, `it would be adding to the light of
medical science, you unaspiring monster.'

"`A light,' retorted Wilson, `which, in passing through _some_ members
of the medical profession, is totally absorbed, and reproduced in the
shape of impenetrable darkness.'

"`Now, don't object, my dear fellow; you _know_ you're going to do it,
so don't coquette with me, but agree at once.'

"`Well, I consent, upon one condition.'

"`And what is that?'

"`That you do not play any practical jokes on _me_ with the head when
you have got it.'

"`Agreed!' cried the doctor, laughing; `I give you my word of honour.
Now he has been buried three days already, so we must set about it at
once. Fortunately the graveyard is composed of a sandy soil, so he'll
keep for some time yet.'

"The two worthies then entered into a deep consultation as to how they
were to set about this deed of darkness. It was arranged that Wilson
should take his gun and sally forth a little before dark, as if he were
bent on an hour's sport, and, not forgetting his game-bag, proceed to
the graveyard, where the doctor engaged to meet him with a couple of
spades and a dark lantern. Accordingly, next evening, Mr Wilson, true
to his promise, shouldered his gun and sallied forth.

"It soon became an intensely dark night. Not a single star shone forth
to illumine the track along which he stumbled. Everything around was