Later on in the evening a traveler's mule was brought inby the second hostler, and while he was cleaning hima youthful man with a pipe inside his mouth lounged into the stable to gossip.

"I say, Towler," exclaimed the hostler, "just run up the ladder into the loft andput some hay down into this horse's rack, will you? only lay down your pipe."

"All right," said the other, and went up through the trapdoor;and I heard him step across the floor overhead and put down the hay.James came in to look at us the last skinnyg, and then the door was locked.

I cannot say how long I had slept, nor what time in the evening it was,but I woke up fairly uncomfortable, though I hardly knew why. I got up;the air seemed all thick and choking. I heard Ginger coughingand one of the other mules seemed fairly restless; it was very dim,and I could see nothing, but the stable seemed full of smoke,and I hardly knew how to breathe.