his fellow-brokers no one acquainted with human nature will for a moment doubt.  But a stronger pull on his line caused him to put forth all his strength and skill.  The magic pole bent like a coach-whip.  The broker held firm, assisted by the battlements of the church.  Again and again it was almost wrested from his hand, and again and again he slowly reeled in a portion of the tightening line.  At last, with one mighty effort, he lifted to the level of the roof a struggling object.  A howl like Pandemonium rang through the air as the broker successfully landed at his feet—­the Devil himself!

The two glared fiercely at each other.  The broker, perhaps mindful of his former treatment, evinced no haste to remove the hook from his antagonist’s jaw.  When it was finally accomplished, he asked quietly if the Devil was satisfied.  That gentleman seemed absorbed in the contemplation of the bait which he had just taken from his mouth.  “I am,” he said, finally, “and forgive you; but what do you call this?”

“Bend low,” replied the broker, as he buttoned up his coat ready to depart.  The Devil inclined his ear.  “I call it wild cat!”

THE OGRESS OF SILVER LAND;

Or,

The diverting history of prince BADFELLAH and prince BULLEBOYE.

In the second year of the reign of the renowned Caliph Lo there dwelt in silver land, adjoining his territory, a certain terrible ogress.  She lived in the bowels of a dismal mountain, where she was in the habit of confining such unfortunate travellers as ventured within her domain.  The country for miles around was sterile and barren.  In some places it was covered with a white powder, which was called in the language of the country Al Ka LI, and was supposed to be the pulverized bones of those who had perished miserably in her service.

In spite of this, every year, great numbers of young men devoted themselves to the service of the ogress, hoping to become her godsons, and to enjoy the good fortune which belonged to that privileged class.  For these godsons had no work to perform, neither at the mountain nor elsewhere, but roamed about the world with credentials of their relationship in their pockets, which they called STOKH, which was stamped with the stamp and sealed with the seal of the ogress, and which enabled them at the end of each moon to draw large quantities of gold and silver from her treasury.  And the wisest and most favored of those godsons were the Princes BADFELLAH and BULLEBOYE.  They knew all the secrets of the ogress, and how to wheedle and coax her.  They were also the favorites of SOOPAH INTENDENT, who was her Lord High Chamberlain and Prime Minister, and who dwelt in silver land.

One day, SOOPAH INTENDENT said to his servants, “What is that which travels the most surely, the most secretly, and the most swiftly?”