“You’re better off where you are,” he said, rather impatiently.

“But they have locked me up here.”

“And reason enough, too!”

“What makes you say that?”

“Because you’re crazy as a loon.”

“Did the black man say that?” inquired Dodger, indignantly.

“Yes, he did—said you tried to kill your mother, and had a carving-knife hidden in the room.”

“It’s a lie—an outrageous lie!” exclaimed Dodger, his eyes flashing.

“Don’t go into one of your tantrums,” said the man, rather alarmed; “it won’t do any good.”

“But I want you to understand that I am no more crazy than you are.”