"Do you believe that story yourself, Baron?" asked Confucius.

"Why not?" asked the Baron. "Is there anything improbable in it? Why
should you disbelieve it? Look at our friend Washington here. Is there
any one here who knows more about truth than he does? He doesn't
disbelieve it. He's the only man at this table who treats me like a man
of honor."

"He's host and has to," said Johnson, shrugging his shoulders.

"Well, Washington, let me put the direct question to you," said the
Baron. "Say you aren't host and are under no obligation to be courteous.
Do you believe I haven't been telling the truth?"

"My dear Munchausen," said the General, "don't ask me. I'm not an
authority. I can't tell a lie--not even when I hear one. If you say
your story is true, I must believe it, of course; but--ah--really, if I
were you, I wouldn't tell it again unless I could produce the pearl and
the wish-bone of one of the ducks at least."

Whereupon, as the discussion was beginning to grow acrimonious,
Washington hailed Charon, and, ordering a boat, invited his guests to
accompany him over into the world of realities, where they passed the
balance of the evening haunting a vaudeville performance at one of the
London music-halls.




CHAPTER IV: HAMLET MAKES A SUGGESTION