Ralph D. Paine

“ The family relations are planning to kick up a devil of a row, to bring proceedings under the lunacy act, and prevent this King Osmond from sailing off to his silly island of Trinadaro. They hate to see a fortune thrown away in this mad enterprise, as they call it. ”

“ The friends of the person suspected of being dotty—generally the near relatives—lay the case before one of the judges in lunacy, and he orders an inquiry, which is held before one of the masters in lunacy. Then if the alleged lunatic demands a trial by jury he gets it. If he can't convince them that he is sound in the thinker, then his estate is put in charge of a committee duly appointed by law. ”

“ We'll get him to sea in his ship whenever he wants to sail, and the relatives and the judges and the masters in lunacy be darned. It ain't the first time that you and me have broken laws in a good cause, Cap'n Mike. You come along with us, George Huntley. We're on our way to have a confab with his majesty, and maybe you can do some business with him right off the reel. He ought to load his ship and head for blue water as quick as the Lord will let him. If he's a lunatic, then the most of us is queer. ”