cap and stand ready
at the cell door. The Captain passes by, unlocking the levers; then
repasses, pushing them down, and I am ready to fall in line as usual; but
one of the gray figures stops suddenly and whispers to me, "Your cup!
You've forgotten your cup!" So I create a momentary halt and confusion in
the gallery as I dash back into the cell to get my tin cup and out again,
leaving it on the shelf at the entrance. We traverse the gallery, descend
the iron stairs, line up at the door, march first slowly then rapidly down
the yard, through the sewage disposal building to the bucket stands; and
so to the basket-shop again.

"Well, Brown, how did you enjoy your dinner, good?" This question is my
partner's afternoon greeting.

"Good! I should say it was! I'd like to tackle another car of coal this
afternoon to give me such an appetite. No, on second thoughts, not this
afternoon--to-morrow morning. I don't think I'd better get up much of an
appetite with nothing but bread and water ahead of me."

Murphy laughs. "Well, we've got two bottoms each to do this afternoon, to
make up for our exercise this morning; so we must hustle up and get 'em
done."

So we both start basket-making; he joking at my efforts to keep up with
him, and I, in a futile attempt to do so, "working like a race-horse," as
he expresses it. With pleasant chat the time passes quickly. The
strangeness of my situation is beginning to wear away; and the men are
getting over their aloofness as they see that, in Joe's words, I mean
business; and also see how well I get along with my partner and my boss.
The latter, the smiling Stuhlmiller, drops round to our table frequently;
makes valuable and friendly criticism and suggestion as to my work, by
which I try to profit; and incidentally tells many things which both
directly and indirectly throw valuable light upon the life here. As a
workman I must pay my tribute of admiration to Stuhlmiller; his small,
delicate hands with strong, pliable fingers are made for craftsmanship. It
gives positive delight to see him take hold of the weaving, to show me or
someone else how it should be done. There are the elements of the real
artist of some sort in that chap. What a pity to have these rare qualities
wasted in prison!

In the course of the afternoon a party of visitors is shown through the
shop by the Warden in person. It is only this evening that I have learned
all the facts of this incident, as I was so busy worki