That Big Frog

It was remembered afterward tlmt he had a sneakirig, low-down look, and tlie boys were sorry that they didn't arrest him as the Natlian murderer. He called at the Ninth Avenue Station and asked if they had an aquarium there, and if Üiey didn't want a Lakc St. Olair frog to put in it, and he added: "Gentlemen, it is a frog which I oaught myself , and he really ought to be on exhibition. I never saw a frog of bis size bef ore." " How large is it?" inquired a Sergeant, instinctively glanoing toward the top of the coal-stove. "Gentlemen, I bate to give you the figures, because I'mastranger," replied the man. ' ' There's some old wlioppers up in the lake," put in one of the relief squad. ' ' I've seen 'em as big as a stove-cover, and even bigger." " Well, some one ought to have this frog who can feed liim up well," saidtho stranger. "I ain't much on natural scienoe, and I've seen about all thero is to see, but this frog - great heavens ! Some man ought to take liiin round the couutry !" "How did you cateh him ?" asked the Captain. ' ' Run liim down with a tug and threw a fish-net over him." "Andlie's a monster, eh?" " A monster. Well, I don't want to give you dimensions. Three reporters were at my house last night to get his length over all, breadth of beam, and carrying capacity, but I wouldn't let tliem ia. I don't care for the glory of the capture, but simply desire the advancement of the general interests óL the State." " I've h'eard sailors teil of seeing frogs up there as large a nail-keg, but I thought tliey were lying, " observed the Sergeant. ' ' Nail-keg ! Why, d'ye suppose I'd come around liere with a frog whioh you could put into a nail-keg ?" " I suppose he'd go into a barrel," fcremblingly remarked the Sergeant. " Gentlemen, you may have snilod across Lake St. Olair," coldly replied the stranger, "bilt it's plain to' nie you never shoved a boat through the mnrshes. AVould I fooi away nry timo on a frog no larger than a barrel ? Would a tug-boat chase suoli a frog?'' " I shouldn't be a bit surprined if "tliis irog was as laxge as a hogshead," said the Captain. " ï'vo sec,n 'cm up tliere even larger than that." "A hogshead! Gentlemen, I sec that you don't care for this irog; you are willing that I should ship it away to some other tuwn. Gooil-by, gentlejnen." "Hold on !" called the Captain, holding out bis last eignr. "We believe you, of eourse. Jf you said this frog 'was as large as a wagon-box I should believe you, for I'ye seen 'cm up there fully as large ar, that. Please give as the dimensious of tliis frog." The man lit his oïgar, took i pill-box from his vest pocket, and, jibuking out a frog not over three days transformed from a pollywog, he qiiietly observed: " Gentlemen, get outyour tape-lines !" When they rose uphe had vanished. -