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He had long black hair like Buffalo Bill, and a long black coat–very long, with a fur collar on it.

Marmaduke whispered to the Toyman,–

“Can’t you cure the man’s coat? It’s got the mange.”

And the Toyman replied,–

“No, money is all that can cure that, and pretty soon he’s going to get plenty from these people’s pockets.”

Marmaduke’s eyes bulged.

“Is he a robber?” he asked in an awed whisper.

The Toyman laughed.

“Well, some folks might call him that without being sued for libel, but I ‘spose he’s within the law.”

Marmaduke wondered how he could be in the law and in the wagon at the same time, and the Toyman had to explain that he meant that the strange man ought to go to jail, but probably wouldn’t. Just why, he told them to “wait and see.”

But, oh, we forgot–what was most important,–on the man’s head was a tall silk hat. It looked as if it needed the mange cure quite as much as did the fur collar of his coat. And it was tipped on the side of his head, like a crazy old mill Marmaduke had seen once, that was about to fall in the river.

Behind the man was spread a banner with the man’s name on it, Dr. Philemon Pipp, and a big chart like those the teachers used in school.

“Whew!” whistled Jehosophat, “look at that ole bag of bones!”

For on that chart was a big picture of a skeleton, and, by the side of the skeleton, other pictures, of a man with his skin taken off, which showed his bones, and his muscles, and all his insides–very prettily painted in blue and yellow and red.

That wasn’t all there was on that wonderful wagon. Behind the chart, they saw lots of bottles filled with nice black juice. It looked like licorice water, and it made anyone’s mouth water just to look at it!

But the man, Dr. Philemon Pipp, was talking.

And as he talked, he made queer gestures with his arms, as if he wanted to scoop up all the people–or something the people had–into his wagon. Perhaps it was their money he wanted to scoop up, though he said nothing–as to that, just,–

“Now, gents, step up a little closer, pleeze.”

Then he tilted his hat on the other side of his head, and put one hand across his chest, the middle finger between the buttons of his vest, and all in a very grand way.

“Tonight,” he went on, “for youah entertainment, I will oferrr this distinguished audience a marrvelous programme–an extrahorrrdinary exheebeeshun of tricks and sleight of hand meeraculs such as nevah befoh were puhfomed by human hands.

“Now watch, ladees, and keep yuh eyes peeled, gents–and mebbe youall kin learn the secret.”

Then he had to stop for a minute, for the small boys were climbing on the hubs of the wheels.

“Heah, young man,” he shouted, “have youall fohgot yuh mannahs? Do not futhuh disturb muh discourse.”

Of course, Jehosophat and Marmaduke couldn’t understand all these magnificent words, but they sounded quite splendid. No wonder the hat was so big, when it had to cover a head with such long words inside.

Now Dr. Philemon Pipp had turned to the crowd.

“Have any of you gents got a quatah?–Thank you, sah,” he said to a man who handed him the money.

Then he took the silver quarter and asked a little boy to step up on the wagon. Jehosophat wished he had been asked, so that he could have learned the wonderful trick.

And now Dr. Pipp showed the coin to the little boy.

“You see it, young man?” he asked.

“Yes sir, yes sir,” said the little boy, all excitement.

Ah, but the man was wiggling his hands through the air, saying,–

“Now you see it and now you don’t.”

And presto! he took that very same quarter which had been in his hand, out of–where do you think?–why, right out of the boy’s mouth. That wasn’t all, either, for next minute he took it out of his cap, then out of his ears. There had been one quarter before–now in his hand there were–five–shiny–quarters! It was a wonderful trick!