〃Then　up　with　you　as　soon　as　possible；　for　it　will　soon　be　too
  dark　to　see　what　we　are　about。〃
  〃How　far　mus　go　up；　massa？〃　inquired　Jupiter。
  〃Get　up　the　main　trunk　first；　and　then　I　will　tell　you　which　way
  to　go　…　and　here　…　stop！　take　this　beetle　with　you。〃
  〃De　bug；　Massa　Will！　…　de　goole　bug！〃　cried　the　negro；　drawing
  back　in　dismay　…　〃what　for　mus　tote　de　bug　way　up　de　tree？　…　d…n　if　I
  do！〃
  〃If　you　are　afraid；　Jup；　a　great　big　negro　like　you；　to　take　hold
  of　a　harmless　little　dead　beetle；　why　you　can　carry　it　up　by　this
  string　…　but；　if　you　do　not　take　it　up　with　you　in　some　way；　I　shall
  be　under　the　necessity　of　breaking　your　head　with　this　shovel。〃
  〃What　de　matter　now；　massa？〃　said　Jup；　evidently　shamed　into
  compliance；　〃always　want　for　to　raise　fuss　wid　old　nigger。　Was　only
  funnin　any　how。　Me　feered　de　bug！　what　I　keer　for　de　bug？〃　Here　he
  took　cautiously　hold　of　the　extreme　end　of　the　string；　and；
  maintaining　the　insect　as　far　from　his　person　as　circumstances　would
  permit；　prepared　to　ascend　the　tree。
  In　youth；　the　tulip…tree；　or　Liriodendron　Tulipferum；　the　most
  magnificent　of　American　foresters；　has　a　trunk　peculiarly　smooth；　and
  often　rises　to　a　great　height　without　lateral　branches；　but；　in　its
  riper　age；　the　bark　becomes　gnarled　and　uneven；　while　many　short
  limbs　make　their　appearance　on　the　stem。　Thus　the　difficulty　of
  ascension；　in　the　present　case；　lay　more　in　semblance　than　in
  reality。　Embracing　the　huge　cylinder；　as　closely　as　possible；　with
  his　arms　and　knees；　seizing　with　his　hands　some　projections；　and
  resting　his　naked　toes　upon　others；　Jupiter；　after　one　or　two　narrow
  escapes　from　falling；　at　length　wriggled　himself　into　the　first　great
  fork；　and　seemed　to　consider　the　whole　business　as　virtually
  accomplished。　The　risk　of　the　achievement　was；　in　fact；　now　over；
  although　the　climber　was　some　sixty　or　seventy　feet　from　the　ground。
  〃Which　way　mus　go　now；　Massa　Will？〃　he　asked。
  〃Keep　up　the　largest　branch　…　the　one　on　this　side；〃　said
  Legrand。　The　negro　obeyed　him　promptly；　and　apparently　with　but
  little　trouble；　ascending　higher　and　higher；　until　no　glimpse　of　his
  squat　figure　could　be　obtained　through　the　dense　foliage　which
  enveloped　it。　Presently　his　voice　was　heard　in　a　sort　of　halloo。
  〃How　much　fudder　is　got　for　go？〃
  〃How　high　up　are　you？〃　asked　Legrand。
  〃Ebber　so　fur；〃　replied　the　negro；　〃can　see　de　sky　fru　de　top　ob
  de　tree。〃
  〃Never　mind　the　sky；　but　attend　to　what　I　say。　Look　down　the
  trunk　and　count　the　limbs　below　you　on　this　side。　How　many　limbs　have
  you　passed？〃
  〃One；　two；　tree；　four；　fibe　…　I　done　pass　fibe　big　limb；　massa；
  pon　dis　side。〃
  〃Then　go　one　limb　higher。〃
  In　a　few　minutes　the　voice　was　heard　again；　announcing　that　the
  seventh　limb　was　attained。
  〃Now；　Jup；〃　cried　Legrand；　evidently　much　excited；　〃I　want　you　to
  work　your　way　out　upon　that　limb　as　far　as　you　can。　If　you　see
  anything　strange；　let　me　know。〃　By　this　time　what　little　doubt　I
  might　have　entertained　of　my　poor　friend's　insanity；　was　put　finally
  at　rest。　I　had　no　alternative　but　to　conclude　him　stricken　with
  lunacy；　and　I　became　seriously　anxious　about　getting　him　home。　While
  I　was　pondering　upon　what　was　best　to　be　done；　Jupiter's　voice　was
  again　heard。
  〃Mos　feerd　for　to　ventur　pon　dis　limb　berry　far　…　tis　dead　limb
  putty　much　all　de　way。〃
  〃Did　you　say　it　was　a　dead　limb；　Jupiter？〃　cried　Legrand　in　a
  quavering　voice。
  〃Yes；　massa；　him　dead　as　de　door…nail　…　done　up　for　sartain　…
  done　departed　dis　here　life。〃
  〃What　in　the　name　heaven　shall　I　do？〃　asked　Legrand；　seemingly　in
  the　greatest　distress。　〃Do！〃　said　I；　glad　of　an　opportunity　to
  interpose　a　word；　〃why　come　home　and　go　to　bed。　Come　now！　…　that's　a
  fine　fellow。　It's　getting　late；　and；　besides；　you　remember　your
  promise。〃
  〃Jupiter；〃　cried　he；　without　heeding　me　in　the　least；　〃do　you
  hear　me？〃
  〃Yes；　Massa　Will；　hear　you　ebber　so　plain。〃
  〃Try　the　wood　well；　then；　with　your　knife；　and　see　if　you　think
  it　very　rotten。〃
  〃Him　rotten；　massa；　sure　nuff；〃　replied　the　negro　in　a　few
  moments；　〃but　not　so　berry　rotten　as　mought　be。　Mought　ventur　out
  leetle　way　pon　de　limb　by　myself；　dat's　true。〃
  〃By　yourself！　…　what　do　you　mean？〃
  〃Why　I　mean　de　bug。　'Tis　berry　hebby　bug。　Spose　I　drop　him　down
  fuss；　and　den　de　limb　won't　break　wid　just　de　weight　ob　one　nigger。〃
  〃You　infernal　scoundrel！〃　cried　Legrand；　apparently　much
  relieved；　〃what　do　you　mean　by　telling　me　such　nonsense　as　that？　As
  sure　as　you　drop　that　beetle　I'll　break　your　neck。　Look　here；
  Jupiter；　do　you　hear　me？〃
  〃Yes；　massa；　needn't　hollo　at　poor　nigger　dat　style。〃
  〃Well！　now　listen！　…　if　you　will　venture　out　on　the　limb　as　far
  as　you　think　safe；　and　not　let　go　the　beetle；　I'll　make　you　a　present
  of　a　silver　dollar　as　soon　as　you　get　down。〃
  〃I'm　gwine；　Massa　Will　…　deed　I　is；〃　replied　the　negro　very
  promptly　…　〃mos　out　to　the　eend　now。〃
  〃Out　to　the　end！〃　here　fairly　screamed　Legrand；　〃do　you　say　you
  are　out　to　the　end　of　that　limb？〃
  〃Soon　be　to　de　eend；　massa；　…　o…o…o…o…oh！　Lor…gol…a…marcy！　what
  is　dis　here　pon　de　tree？〃
  〃Well！〃　cried　Legrand；　highly　delighted；　〃what　is　it？〃
  〃Why　taint　noffin　but　a　skull　…　somebody　bin　lef　him　head　up　de
  tree；　and　de　crows　done　gobble　ebery　bit　ob　de　meat　off。〃
  〃A　skull；　you　say！　…　very　well！　…　how　is　it　fastened　to　the　limb？
  …　what　holds　it　on？〃
  〃Sure　nuff；　massa；　mus　look。　Why　dis　berry　curous　sarcumstance；
  pon　my　word　…　dare's　a　great　big　nail　in　de　skull；　what　fastens　ob　it
  on　to　de　tree。〃
  〃Well　now；　Jupiter；　do　exactly　as　I　tell　you　…　do　you　hear？〃
  〃Yes；　massa。〃
  〃Pay　attention；　then！　…　find　the　left　eye　of　the　skull。〃
  〃Hum！　hoo！　dat's　good！　why　dare　aint　no　eye　lef　at　all。〃
  〃Curse　your　stupidity！　do　you　know　your　right　hand　from　your
  left？〃
  〃Yes；　I　nose　dat　…　nose　all　bout　dat　…　tis　my　lef　hand　what　I
  chops　de　wood　wid。〃
  〃To　be　sure！　you　are　left…handed；　and　your　left。　eye　is　on　the
  same　side　as　your　left　hand。　Now；　I　suppose；　you　can　find　the　left
  eye　of　the　skull；　or　the　place　where　the　left　eye　has　been。　Have　you
  found　it？〃
  Here　was　a　long　pause。　At　length　the　negro　asked；
  〃Is　de　lef　eye　of　de　skull　pon　de　same　side　as　de　lef　hand　of　de
  skull；　too？　…　cause　de　skull　aint　got　not　a　bit　ob　a　hand　at　all　…
  nebber　mind！　I　got　de　lef　eye　now　…　here　de　lef　eye！　what　mus　do　wid
  it？〃
  〃Let　the　beetle　drop　through　it；　as　far　as　the　string　will　reach
  …　but　he　careful　and　not　let　go　your　hold　of　the　string。〃
  〃All　dat　done；　Massa　Will；　mighty　easy　ting　for　to　put　de　bug　fru
  de　hole　…　look　out　for　him　dare　below！〃
  During　this　colloquy　no　portion　of　Jupiter's　person　could　be
  seen；　but　the　beetle；　which　he　had　suffered　to　descend；　was　now
  visible　at　the　end　of　the　string；　and　glistened；　like　a　globe　of
  burnished　gold；　in　the　last　rays　of　the　setting　sun；　some　of　which
  still　faintly　illumined　the　eminence　upon　which　we　stood。　The
  scarab鎢s　hung　quite　clear　of　any　branches；　and；　if　allowed　to　fall；
  would　have　fallen　at　our　feet。　Legrand　immediately　took　the　scythe；
  and　cleared　with　it　a　circular　space；　three　or　four　yards　in
  diameter；　just　beneath　the　insect；　and；　having　accomplished　this；
  ordered　Jupiter　to　let　go　the　string　and　come　down　from　the　tree。
  Driving　a　peg；　with　great　nicety；　into　the　ground；　at　the　precise
  spot　where　the　beetle　fell；　my　friend　now　produced　from　his　pocket　a
  tape　measure。　Fastening　one　end　of　this　at　that　point　of　the　trunk；
  of　the　tree　which　was　nearest　the　peg；　he　unrolled　it　till　it　reached
  the　peg；　and　thence　farther　unrolled　it；　in　the　direction　already
  established　by　the　two　points　of　the　tree　and　the　peg；　for　the
  distance　of　fifty　feet　…　Jupiter　clearing　away　the　brambles　with　the
  scythe。　At　the　spot　thus　attained　a　second　peg　was　driven；　and　about
  this；　as　a　centre；　a　rude　circle；　about　four　feet　in　diameter；
  described。　Taking　now　a　spade　himself；　and　giving　one　to　Jupiter　and
  one　to　me；　Legrand　begged　us　to　set　about　digging　as　quickly　as
  possible。
  To　speak　the　truth；　I　had　no　especial　relish　for　such　amusement
  at　any　time；　and；　at　that　particular　moment；　would　most　willingly
  have　declined　it；　for　the　night　was　coming　on；　and　I　felt　much
  fatigued　with　the　exercise　already　taken；　but　I　saw　no　mode　of
  escape；　and　was　fearful　of　disturbing　my　poor　friend's　equanimity　by
  a　refusal。　Could　I　have　depended；　indeed；　upon　Jupiter's　aid；　I　would
  have　had　no　hesitation　in　attempting　to　get　the　lunatic　home　by
  force；　but　I　was　too　well　assured　of　the　old　negro's　disposition；　to
  hope　that　he　would　assist　me；　under　any　circumstances；　in　a　personal
  contest　with　his　master。　I　made　no　doubt　that　the　latter　had　been
  infected　with　some　of　the　innumerable　Southern　superstitions　about
  money　buried；　and　that　his　phantasy　had　received　confirmation　by　the
  finding　of　the　scarab鎢s；　or；　perhaps；　by　Jupiter's　obstinacy　in
  maintaining　it　to　be　〃a　bug