tisfaction, the overseer presented his arm to a pretty
young lady, whose dark eyes had somewhat smitten him, and led the way to
the further end of the shop, followed by the whole party.

The Dead Man was nowhere to be seen!

'Hullo, here! Where the devil is that rascal gone?' cried the overseer,
in great alarm, gazing wildly about him. 'Say, you fellows there, where
is the Dead Man?'

This inquiry, addressed to the convicts who were at work in that part of
the shop, was answered by a general 'don't know, sir.'

With one exception they all spoke the truth; for only the man who had
nailed the Dead Man in the box, was cognizant of the affair, and he did
not choose to confess his agency in the matter. An instant search was
made throughout the premises, but without success--and the officers of
the prison were forced to arrive at the disagreeable conclusion that the
miscreant had again given them the slip. Not one of them had suspected
that he was nailed up in a box on board the sloop which was then on her
way to New York. The Warden sent for the luckless overseer who had
charge of the escaped convict, and sternly informed him that his
services were no longer needed in that establishment; he added to the
discomfiture of the poor young man by darkly hinting his suspicions that
he (the overseer) had connived at the escape of the prisoner--but, as
the reader knows, this charge was unfounded and unjust.

The distance between Sing Sing and the city is not great: wind and tide
both being favorable, the vessel soon reached her place of destination,
and was attached to one of the numerous wharves which extend around the
city. The boxes of furniture on board were immediately placed upon
carts, for conveyance to a large warehouse in Pearl street.

The tightness of the box in which the Dead Man was placed, produced no
small inconvenience to that worthy, who during the passage was nearly
suffocated; however, he consoled himself with the thought that in a
short time he would be free. The box was about six feet in length; and
two in breadth and depth; and in this narrow compass the villain felt as
if he were in a coffin. He was greatly rejoiced when the men who were
unloading the vessel raised the box from the deck and carried it towards
one of the carts.

But oh, horrible! unconscious that there was a man in the box, they
stood it upon one end, and the Dead Man was left _standing upon his
head_. The next moment the cart was driven