hink of this case?"

"I think it is the most remarkable one on record," replied the
philosopher, whose smile had grown into a broad grin. "Richard, I am
deeply interested in the investigation of this matter, and I want to
ask you a few questions. Will you oblige me by answering them?"

"I will if I can," said Richard, rather doggedly, for he was fully
satisfied, by this time, that the old gentleman was quizzing him.

"If you _can_, then, will you be kind enough to tell me whether Sandy
Brimblecom was asleep or not, when he joined you in the boat at the
point below Whitestone?"

"Who? Sandy joined me?" stammered Richard, staggered by this home
thrust of the friend of the family.

"Yes; I am very anxious to know whether there is a sympathy between
sleep-walkers which draws them together, even though separated by miles
of space."

Richard made no reply; he had none to make. He had no idea how much his
tormentors knew of the events of the night.

"You don't answer, my boy. I have been the butt of your uncle for the
last week on account of my devotion to the cause of science. I have
studied your case very thoroughly, and I may want to make a report of
it to the scientific associations."

"Why don't you answer him, Dick?" added uncle Obed, who,
notwithstanding the serious character of the matter, could not restrain
his laughter at the ludicrous side of the question.

"I don't care about your making fun of me," replied the poor
somnambulist.

"My dear boy, this is a scientific, a physiological investigation. You
pulled out the nails which your father had driven into the window; you
skulked away from the house; you went down to your boat, got under way
in a squally, dark night, and met another sleep-walker on the other
side of the river;--I presume he was asleep, for you do not say to the
contrary;--you sailed down the river to a certain inlet; you landed,
and went up to Mr. Batterman's barn; you removed the horses and oxen
from it; you poured turpentine upon a bunch of loose hay prepared for
the purpose; you lighted your matches and set fire to it; and all the
while you were fast asleep. And you returned home and went to bed again
without waking. Really, my dear boy, this is the most astonishing case
of somnambulism on record. I have vainly looked over my books for a
parallel instance. Can you tell me what your dreams were last night?
Did you dream any thing of this kind?"

Richard was filled with dismay at this