is quite
unnecessary."

"Not a bit av it. Ye'll have the best; an' the room 'll be yours at
onct, so it will; an' ye'll not go back to bed again in that frozen
hole."

"But I assure you--I assure you," persisted Russell, most earnestly,
"it's a noble room--a comfortable room--a splendid room."

"Oh, sure ye're too modest, so ye are," said the chief. "But nivir ye
moind--lave it all to me. I'll fix it for ye."

Russell was in deep dejection and anxiety, yet he felt afraid to
press the matter too eagerly. To be taken away from the vicinity of
his treasure was indeed a crushing blow, yet he dared not object too
strongly lest the chief might suspect something. So he could only
submit with the best grace possible under the circumstances, and find
faint consolation in the thought that the treasure was at least
secure.

After a brief silence the chief resumed:

"It's pained I am, so I am, to trouble a gintleman av fartune, but
I'm undher the onplisint naycissichood av subjictin' ye to a further
examination. It's a mite onplisint at first, but it's nothin' whin
yer used to it."

"Another examination?" repeated Russell, with no little uneasiness.
"What is that?"

"Oh, it's only an examination av yer apparel, yer clothes, bit by
bit."

"My clothes?"

"Yes--to gyard against anythin' bein' concailed about ye."

"But I have nothing concealed, on my honor!"

At this the chief waved his hands deprecatingly.

"Hush!" said he. "Whisht, will ye! don't I know it? begorra meself
does. It's all a mere farrum. It's a laygal inactmint that I've got
to follow. Discipline must be kept up. Sure an' if I didn't obey the
law meself first an' foremost, me own mind 'ud all revolt against me,
an' thin where'd I be? But it'll not be anythin'. Sure to glory,
many's the fine man I've shtripped, an' him none the worse for it. So
go ahead, fool, an' the sooner ye begin, the sooner it'll be over."

"I--I--don't see--I--I--don't know--" stammered Russell.

"Arrah, sure to glory, it's as aisy as wink. Begin where ye are."

"What, here?" cried Russell, aghast.

"Yis."

"Undress here?"

"Av coorse."

"But--but--mayn't I have a private room?"

"But ye mayn't, for ye moight consale somethin'. Ye've got to ondress
before the examinin' committee--that's me. Sometimes it's done in the
presence av a committee av the whole--that's the whole regiment av
us; but this time, out av jue respect for you an' considherations av
decarrum, I've