e liquors, there were half a
dozen different bottles, as I have said of cut glass, in filigree
silver holders, with his Nib's crests on the tops, engraved in silver.
It was all beautiful to look upon. One liquor green, oh, such a lovely
green, as a French poet says the color of a mermaid's eyes. Another
purple, another the color of honey. But I had sense enough left not
to take any of them, else I would have had no senses left, which would
have been bad under the circumstances, for I might have wakened up to
find myself at the sudden end of a rope, or sitting out on the lonely
plains with some bruises and no friends.

"So I contented myself with several nice cups of tea, with a bit of
lemon in them, and the rest of the bill of fare. That roasted fowl
was remarkably good, and as for the sauce----! I was on the point of
asking his Royal Highness for the recipe, but he was sleeping so
soundly that I felt that it was a pity to disturb him. Just then I
noticed that the pistol near his hand was about to fall to the floor
with the jolting of the car, so I put the hamper reluctantly aside and
caught the pistol.

"I stood with it in my hand regarding it with interest. A clumsy
weapon indeed, though of beautiful workmanship. I hesitated, holding
the weapon carefully."

"Did you think of shooting him?" inquired Tom tremulously.

John Berwick smiled and shook his head. "No, not that. I was not a
nihilist. You see I had plenty to eat, why should I be? Nevertheless,
I came to a quick decision. I went to the window opposite, and opened
it very carefully, no wider than I had to, and launched it safely
out into a snowdrift. Then I closed the window quickly, but stood
perfectly still, for I was aware that the giant back of me was
stirring, a draught of the fresh air had awakened him. It appeared
that my sin had found me out.

"Standing perfectly quiet, I turned my head slowly and saw that the
Russian had merely changed his position, and had gone off into another
slumber. So I leisurely finished my lunch, enjoying the preserves
and other dainties hugely. After this part of the performance was
completed, I put everything back into the hamper with the utmost
neatness. To tell the honest truth, there was not a great deal left to
repack, a part of the chicken, and some bread and caviar, which to the
appetite of a Russian would be no more than a lamb chop to a hungry
tiger."

"Gosh!" exclaimed Jim again, "but you surely had your nerve