496

LIFTS  ON THE MISSISSIPPI.

and I seemed to know how a person feels who hears his death son-
tence pronounced from the bench.   I waited to hear what my brotbet
would say next.    I believed I knew what it would be, and I was
right.    He said—
* I know the boy.'
I had nothing to say ; so I said nothing.    I simply shuddered
Then he added—
' Yes, before you got half through telling about the thing, I knew
perfectly well who the boy was; it was Ben Coontz !'
I came out of my collapse as one who rises from the. dead.  I gaii
with admiration—

'Why, how in
the world did yoa
ever guess it ?'
< You told it in
your sleep/
I said to myself,
^e How splendid tbafe
is ! This is a habit
which must be culti
vated.'
My brother rai-
tled innocently on—
* When you were
talking inyoursle%
my burden is lifted.	you kept mumbling
something   abo*&
" matches/* which I couldn't make anything out of; but jnst now,
when, you began to tell me about the man and the calaboose and &©
matches, I remembered that in your sleep you mentioned Ben Coonfe
two or three times; so I put this and that together, you see, and rigfel
away I knew it was Ben that burnt that man up.'
I praised his sagacity effusively.    Presently he asked—
 *	Are you going to give "him, up to the law 1'
 *	^"o,' I said • * I believe that this will be a lesson to him.  I sbatt
keep an eye on him, of course, for that is but right; but if he stops
where he is and reforms, it shall never be said that I betrayed him**
 *	hot* good you are !'