in the cart, accepting, with obvious delight,
the tribute of cheers and jeers, hoots and shouts, from five thousand
mouths.

The Inca of Peru stood at the door of his tent and surveyed Black Jack,
who was not more than a few feet away from him.

'Have a glass of my elixir,' he said to the death-dealer; 'no one in
this town needs it more than thee, by all accounts. Have a glass, and
live for ever. Only sixpence.'

The man in the cart laughed aloud.

'I've nowt on me--not a farden,' he answered, in a strong grating voice.

At that moment a girl, half hidden by the cart, sprang forward, offering
something in her outstretched palm to the Inca; but he, misunderstanding
her intention, merely glanced with passing interest at her face, and
returned his gaze to the prisoner.

'I'll give thee a glass, lad,' he said quickly, 'and then thou canst
defy Jack Ketch.'

The crowd yelled with excitement, and the murderer held forth his great
hand for the potion. Using every art to enhance the effect of this
dramatic advertisement, the Inca of Peru raised his bottle on high, and
said in a loud, impressive tone:

'This precious liquid has the property, possessed by no other liquid on
earth, of frothing twice. I shall pour it into the glass, and it will
froth. Black Jack will drink it, and after he has drunk it will froth
again. Observe!'

He uncorked the bottle and filled the glass with the reddish fluid,
which after a few seconds duly effervesced, to the vague wonder of the
populace. The Inca held the glass till the froth had subsided, and then
solemnly gave it to Black Jack.

'Drink!' commanded the Inca.

Black Jack took the draught at a gulp, and instantly flung the glass at
the Inca's face. It missed him, however. There were signs of a fracas,
but the door of the watch-house swung opportunely open, and Jack was
dragged from the cart and hustled within. The crowd, with a crowd's
fickleness, turned to other affairs.

That evening the ingenious Inca of Peru did good trade for several
hours, but towards eleven o'clock the attraction of the public-houses
and of a grand special combined bull and bear beating by moonlight in
the large yard of the Cock Inn drew away the circle of his customers
until there was none left. He retired inside the tent with several
pounds in his pocket and a god's consciousness of having made immortal
many of the sons and daughters of Adam.

As he was counting out his gains on the tub of eternal you