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trick of the carver's art； and that what we had seen we had seen in
a sort of nightmare； when the whole hideous reptile was seized with
what seemed to be a fit of convulsive shuddering。 It seemed to be
in agony。 It trembled so violently that I expected to see it
loosen its hold of the stem and fall to the ground。 I was
sufficiently master of myself to steal a glance at Bob。 We had had
an inkling of what might happen。 He was wholly unprepared。 As he
saw that dreadful； human…looking creature； coming to life； as it
seemed； within an inch or two of his nose； his eyes dilated to
twice their usual size。 I hoped； for his sake； that
unconsciousness would supervene； through the action of the drug；
before through sheer fright his senses left him。 Perhaps
mechanically he puffed steadily on。
The creature's shuddering became more violent。 It appeared to
swell before our eyes。 Then； just as suddenly as it began； the
shuddering ceased。 There was another instant of quiescence。 Then
the creature began to crawl along the stem of the pipe！ It moved
with marvelous caution； the merest fraction of an inch at a time。
But still it moved！ Our eyes were riveted on it with a fascination
which was absolutely nauseous。 I am unpleasantly affected even as
I think of it now。 My dreams of the night before had been nothing
to this。
Slowly； slowly； it went； nearer and nearer to the smoker's nose。
Its mode of progression was in the highest degree unsightly。 It
glided； never； so far as I could see； removing its tentacles from
the stem of the pipe。 It slipped its hindmost feelers onward until
they came up to those which were in advance。 Then； in their turn；
it advanced those which were in front。 It seemed； too； to move
with the utmost labor； shuddering as though it were in pain。
We were all； for our parts； speechless。 I was momentarily hoping
that the drug would take effect on Bob。 Either his constitution
enabled him to offer a strong resistance to narcotics； or else the
large quantity of neat spirit which he had drunk actedas Tress
had malevolently intended that it shouldas an antidote。 It
seemed to me that he would NEVER succumb。 On went the creature
on； and on； in its infinitesimal progression。 I was spellbound。 I
would have given the world to scream； to have been able to utter a
sound。 I could do nothing else but watch。
The creature had reached the end of the stem。 It had gained the
amber mouthpiece。 It was within an inch of the smoker's nose。
Still on it went。 It seemed to move with greater freedom on the
amber。 It increased its rate of progress。 It was actually
touching the foremost feature on the smoker's countenance。 I
expected to see it grip the wretched Bob； when it began to
oscillate from side to side。 Its oscillations increased in
violence。 It fell to the floor。 That same instant the narcotic
prevailed。 Bob slipped sideways from the chair； the pipe still
held tightly between his rigid jaws。
We were silent。 There lay Bob。 Close beside him lay the creature。
A few more inches to the left； and he would have fallen on and
squashed it flat。 It had fallen on its back。 Its feelers were
extended upward。 They were writhing and twisting and turning in
the air。
Tress was the first to speak。
〃I think a little brandy won't be amiss。〃 Emptying the remainder
of the brandy into a glass； he swallowed it at a draught。 〃Now for
a closer examination of our friend。〃 Taking a pair of tongs from
the grate he nipped the creature between them。 He deposited it
upon the table。 〃I rather fancy that this is a case for
dissection。〃
He took a penknife from his waistcoat pocket。 Opening the large
blade； he thrust its point into the object on the table。 Little or
no resistance seemed to be offered to the passage of the blade； but
as it was inserted the tentacula simultaneously began to writhe and
twist。 Tress withdrew the knife。
〃I thought so！〃 He held the blade out for our inspection。 The
point was covered with some viscid…looking matter。 〃That's blood！
The thing's alive！〃
〃Alive！〃
〃Alive！ That's the secret of the whole performance！〃
〃But〃
〃But me no buts； my Pugh！ The mystery's exploded！ One more ghost
is lost to the world！ The person from whom I OBTAINED that pipe
was an Indian jugglerup to many tricks of the trade。 He； or some
one for him； got hold of this sweet thing in reptilesand a
sweeter thing would； I imagine； be hard to findand covered it
with some preparation of； possibly； gum arabic。 He allowed this to
harden。 Then he stuck the thingstill living； for those sort of
gentry are hard to killto the pipe。 The consequence was that
when anyone lit up； the warmth was communicated to the adhesive
agentagain some preparation of gum； no doubtit moistened it；
and the creature； with infinite difficulty； was able to move。 But
I am open to lay odds with any gentleman of sporting tastes that
THIS time the creature's traveling days ARE done。 It has given me
rather a larger taste of the horrors than is good for my
digestion。〃
With the aid of the tongs he removed the creature from the table。
He placed it on the hearth。 Before Brasher or I had a notion of
what it was he intended to do he covered it with a heavy marble
paper weight。 Then he stood upon the weight； and between the
marble and the hearth he ground the creature flat。
While the execution was still proceeding； Bob sat up upon the
floor。
〃Hollo！〃 he asked； 〃what's happened？〃
〃We've emptied the bottle； Bob；〃 said Tress。 〃But there's another
where that came from。 Perhaps you could drink another tumblerful；
my boy？〃
Bob drank it！
FOOTNOTE
〃Those gentry are hard to kill。〃 Here is fact； not fantasy。
Lizard yarns no less sensational than this Mystery Story can be
found between the covers of solemn； zoological textbooks。
Reptiles； indeed； are far from finicky in the matters of air；
space； and especially warmth。 Frogs and other such sluggish…
blooded creatures have lived after being frozen fast in ice。 Their
blood is little warmer than air or water； enjoying no extra casing
of fur or feathers。
Air and food seem held in light esteem by lizards。 Their blood
need not be highly oxygenated； it nourishes just as well when
impure。 In temperate climes lizards lie torpid and buried all
winter； some species of the tropic deserts sleep peacefully all
summer。 Their anatomy includes no means for the continuous
introduction and expulsion of air； reptilian lungs are little more
than closed sacs； without cell structure。
If any further zoological fact were needed to verify the denouement
of 〃The Pipe；〃 it might be the general statement that lizards are
abnormal brutes anyhow。 Consider the chameleons of unsettled hue。
And what is one to think of an animal which； when captured by the
tail； is able to make its escape by willfully shuffling off that