The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Cabman's Story, by Arthur Conan Doyle

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org


Title: The Cabman's Story
       The Mysteries of a London 'Growler'

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle

Release Date: December 26, 2005 [EBook #17398]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CABMAN'S STORY ***



Produced by Darlene A. Cypser





THE CABMAN'S STORY


The Mysteries of a London "Growler"

We had to take a "growler," for the day looked rather threatening and
we agreed that it would be a very bad way of beginning our holiday by 
getting wet, especially when Fanny was only just coming round from
the whooping cough.  Holidays were rather scarce with us, and when we
took one we generally arranged some little treat, and went in for
enjoying ourselves.  On this occasion we were starting off from
Hammersmith to the Alexandra Palace in all the dignity of a
four-wheeler.  What with the wife and her sister, and Tommy and Fanny
and Jack, the inside was pretty well filled up, so I had to look out
for myself.  I didn't adopt the plan of John Gilpin under similar
circumstances, but I took my waterproof and climbed up beside the
driver.

This driver was a knowing-looking old veteran, with a weather-beaten
face and white side whiskers. It has always seemed to me that a London
cabman is about the shrewdest of the human race, but this specimen
struck me as looking like the shrewdest of the cabmen.  I tried to draw
him out a bit as we jogged along, for I am always fond of a chat; but
he was a bit rusty until I oiled his tongue with glass of gin when we
got as far as the "Green Anchor."  Then he rattled away quickly enough,
and some of what he said is worth trying to put down in black and white.

"Wouldn't a hansom pay me better?" he said, in answer to a question
of mine.  "Why, of course it would.  But look at the position!  A
four-wheeler's a respectable conveyance, and the driver of it's a
respectable man, but you can't say that of a rattling, splashing
'ansom.  Any boy would do for that job.  Now, to my mind money hain't
to be compared to position, whatever a man's trade may be."

"Certainly not!" I answered.

"Besides, I've saved my little penny, and I'm got too old to change
my ways.  I've begun on a growler, and I'll end on one.  If you'll
believe me, sir, I've been on the streets for seven-and-forty year."

"That's a long time," I said.

"Well, it's long for our trade," he replied.  "You see, there
ain't no other in the world that takes the steam out of a man so quickly--
what with wet and cold and late hours, and maybe no hours at all. There's
few that lasts at it as long as I have."

"You must have seen a deal of the world during that time," I
remarked. "There are few men who can have greater opportunities of
seeing life."

"The world!" he grunted, flicking up the horse with his whip.  "I've
seen enough of it to be well-nigh sick of it.  As to life, if you'd
said death, you'd ha' been nearer the mark."

"Death!" I ejaculated.

"Yes, death," he said. "Why, bless your soul, sir, if I was to write
down all I've seen since I've been in the trade, there's not a man
in London would believe me, unless maybe some o' the other cabbies. 
I tell ye I took a dead man for a fare once, and drove about with him
nigh half the night.  Oh, you needn't look shocked, sir, for this
wasn't the cab--no, nor the last one I had neither."

"How did it happen?" I asked, feeling glad, in spite of his
assurance, that Matilda had not heard of the episode.

"Well, it's an old story now," said the driver, putting a small piece
of very black tobacco into the corner of his mouth.  "I daresay it's
twenty odd years since it happened, but it's not the kind o' thing as
slips out of a man's memory.  It was very late one night, and I was
working my hardest to pick up something good, for I'd made a poor
day's work of it.  The theatres had all come out, and though I kept
up and down the Strand till nigh one o'clock, I got nothing but one
eighteenpenny job.  I was thinking of giving it up and going home,
when it struck me that I might as well make a bit of a circuit, and
see if I couldn't drop across something.  Pretty soon I gave a
gentleman a lift as far as the Oxford Road, and then I drove through
St. John's Wood on my way home.  By that time it would be about
half-past one, and the streets were quite quiet and deserted, for the
night was cloudy and it was beginning to rain.  I was putting on the
pace as well as my tired beast would go, for we both wanted to get
back to our suppers, when I heard a woman's voice hail me out of a
side street. I turned back, and there in about the darkest part of
the road was standing two ladies--real ladies, mind you, for it
would take a deal of darkness before I would mistake one for the
other. One was elderly and stoutish; the other was young, and had a
veil over her face.  Between them there was a man in evening dress,
whom they were supporting on each side, while his back was propped up
against a lamp-post. He seemed beyond taking care of himself
altogether, for his head was sunk down on his chest, and he'd have
fallen if they hadn't held him.

"'Cabman,' said the stout lady, with a very shaky voice, 'I wish you
would help us in this painful business.'  Those were her very
hidentical words.

"'Cert'nly, mum,' I says for I saw my way to a good thing. 'What
can I do for the young lady and yourself?'  I mentioned the other
in order to console her like, for she was sobbing behind her veil
something pitiful.

"'The fact is, cabman,' she answers, 'this gentleman is my daughter's
husband. They have only just been married, and we are visiting at a
friend's house near here.  My son-in-law has just returned in a state
of complete intoxication, and my daughter and I have brought him out
in the hope of seeing a cab in which we could send him home, for we
have most particular reasons for not wishing our friends to see him
in this state, and as yet they are ignorant of it.  If you would
drive him to his house and leave him there, you would do us both a
very great kindness, and we can easily account to our hosts for his
absence.'

"I thought this rather a rum start, but I agreed, and no sooner had
I said the word than the old one she pulls open the door, and she and
the other, without waiting for me to bear a hand, bundled him in
between them.

"'Where to?' I asked.

"'Forty-seven, Orange Grove, Clapham,' she said.  'Hoffman is the
name.  You'll easily waken the servants.'

"'And how about the fare?' I suggested, for I thought maybe there
might be a difficulty in collecting it at the end of the journey.

"'Here it is,' said the young one, slipping what I felt to be a
sovereign into my hand, and at the same time giving it a sort of a
grateful squeeze, which made me feel as if I'd drive anywhere to
get her out of trouble.

"Well, off I went, leaving them standing by the side of the road.
The horse was well-nigh beat, but at last I found my way to 47,
Orange Grove. It was a biggish house, and all quiet, as you may
suppose, at that hour.  I rang the bell, and at last down came a
servant--a man, he was.

"'I've got the master here,' I said.

"'Got who?' he asked.

"'Why Mr. Hoffman--your master.  He's in the cab, not quite
himself. This is number forty-seven, ain't it?'

"'Yes, it's forty-seven, right enough; but my master's Captain
Ritchie, and he's away in India, so you've got the wrong house.'

"'That was the number they gave me,' I said, 'But maybe he's come to
himself by this time, and can give us some information.  He was dead
drunk an hour ago.'

"Down we went to the cab, the two of us, and opened the door.  He had
slipped off the seat and was lying all in a heap on the floor.

"'Now, then, sir,' I shouted. 'Wake up and give us your address.'

"He didn't answer.

"I gave another shake. 'Pull yourself together,' I roared.  'Give us
your name, and tell us where you live.'

"He didn't answer again.  I couldn't even hear the sound of
breathing.  Then a kind of queer feeling came over me, and I put
down my hand and felt his face.  It was as cold as lead.  The cove's
dead, mate,' I said.

"The servant struck a match, and we had a look at my passenger.
He was a young, good-looking fellow, but his face wore an
expression of pain, and his jaw hung down.  He was evidently not
only dead, but had been dead some time.

"'What shall we do?' said the flunkey. He was as white as death
himself, and his hair bristled with fear.

"'I'll drive to the nearest police station,' I answered; and so I
did, leaving him shivering on the pavement.  There I gave up my fare,
and that was the last I ever saw of him."

"Did you never hear any more of it?" I asked.

"Hear!  I thought I should never hear the end of it, what with
examinations and inquests and one thing and another.  The doctors
proved that he must have been dead at the time he was shoved into
the cab.  Just before the inquest four little blue spots came out
on one side of his neck, and one on the other, and they said only
a woman's hand could have fitted over them, so they brought in a
verdict of willful murder; but, bless you, they had managed it so
neatly that there was not a clue to the women, nor to the man either,
for everything by which he might have been identified had been
removed from his pockets.  The police were fairly puzzled by that
case.  I've always thought what a bit o' luck it was that I got my
fare, for I wouldn't have had much chance of it if it hadn't been
paid in advance."

My friend the driver began to get very husky about the throat at this
stage of the proceedings, and slackened his speed very noticeably as
we approached a large public-house, so that I felt constrained to
offer him another gin, which he graciously accepted.  The ladies had
some wine, too, and I followed the example of my companion on the
box, so that we all started refreshed.

"The police and me's been mixed up a good deal," continued the
veteran resuming his reminiscences: "They took the best customer I
ever had away from me.  I'd have made my fortin if they'd let him
carry on his little game a while longer."

Here, with the coquetry of one who knows that his words are of
interest, the driver began to look around him with an air of
abstraction and to comment upon the weather.

"Well, what about your customer and the police?" I asked.

"It's not much to tell," he said, coming back to his subject.  "One
morning I was driving across Vauxhall Bridge when I was hailed by a
crooked old man with a pair of spectacles on, who was standing at
the Middlesex end, with a big leather bag in his hand. 'Drive anywhere
you like,' he said; 'only don't drive fast for I'm getting old, and
it shakes me to pieces.'  He jumped in, and shut himself up, closing
the windows, and I trotted about with him for three hours, before he
let me know that he had had enough.  When I stopped, out he hopped
with his big bag in his hand.

"'I say cabbie!' he said, after he had paid his fare.

"'Yes, sir,' said I, touching my hat.

"'You seem to be a decent sort of fellow, and you don't go in the
break-neck way of some of your kind.  I don't mind giving you the
same job every day.  The doctors recommend gentle exercise of the
sort, and you may as well drive me as another.  Just pick me up at
the same place tomorrow.'

"Well, to make a long story short, I used to find the little man in
his place every morning, always with his black bag, and for nigh
on to four months never a day passed without his having his three
hours' drive and paying his fare like a man at the end of it.  I
shifted into new quarters on the strength of it, and was able to buy
a new set of harness.  I don't say as I altogether swallowed the
story of the doctors having recommended him on a hot day to go about
in a growler with both windows up.  However, it's a bad thing in this
world to be too knowing, so though I own I felt a bit curious at
times, I never put myself out o' the way to find out what the little
game was.  One day, I was driving tap to my usual place of dropping
him--for by this time we had got into the way of going a regular
beat every morning--when I saw a policeman waiting, with a perky
sort of look about him, as if he had some job on hand.  When the
cab stopped out jumped the little man with his bag right into the
arms of the 'bobby.'

"'I arrest you, John Malone,' says the policeman.

"'On what charge?' he answers as cool as a turnip.

"'On the charge of forging Bank of England notes,' says the 'bobby'.

"'Oh, then the game is up!' he cries, and with that he pulls off his
spectacles, and his wig and whiskers, and there he was, as smart a
young fellow as you'd wish to see.

"'Good-bye, cabby,' he cried, as they led him off, and that was the
last I saw of him, marching along between two of them, and another
behind with the bag."

"And why did he take a cab?" I asked, much interested.

"Well, you see, he had all his plant for making the notes in that
bag.  If he were to lock himself up in his lodging several hours a
day it would soon set people wondering, to say nothing of the chance
of eyes at the window or key-hole.  Again, you see, if he took a
house all on his own hook, without servant nor anyone, it would look
queer. So he made up his mind as the best way of working it was to
carry it on in a closed cab, and I don't know that he wasn't right. 
He was known to the police however, and that was how they spotted
him.  Drat that van! It was as near as a touch to my off-wheel.

"Bless you, if I was to tell you all the thieves and burglars, and
even murderers, as have been in my growler one time or another, you'd
think I'd given the whole Newgate Calendar a lift, though to be sure
this young chap as I spoke of was the only one as ever reg'lar set up
in business there.  There was one though as I reckon to be worse than
all the others put together, if he was what I think him to be.  It's
often laid heavy on my mind that I didn't have that chap collared
before it was too late, for I might have saved some mischief.  It was
about ten years ago--I never was a good hand for dates--that I
picked up a stout-built sailor-sort of fellow, with a reddish
moustache, who wanted to be taken down to the docks. After this chap
as I told you of had taken such liberties with the premises I'd had a
little bit of a glass slit let in in front here--the same that your
little boy's flattening his nose against at this moment--so as I
could prevent any such games in the future, and have an idea,
whenever I wished, of what was going on inside.  Well, something or
another about this sailor fellow made me suspicious of him, and I
took a look at what he was after.  He was sitting on the seat, sir,
with a big lump o' coal in his lap, and was a looking at it most
attentive.  Now this seemed to me rather a rum start, so I kept on
watching of him, for as you'll see, my window's not a very large one,
and it's easier to see through it than to be seen.  Well, he pulls a
spring or something, and out jumps one of the sides of this bit of
coal, and then I saw it was really a hollow box, painted, you see,
and made rough so as to look like the other.  I couldn't make head or
tail of it anyhow, and indeed I'd pretty near forgot all about it
when there came news of the explosion at Bemerhaven, and people began
to talk about coal torpedoes.  Then I knew as in all probability I'd
carried the man who managed the business, and I gave word to the
police, but they never could make anything of it.  You know what a coal
torpedo is, don't you?  Well, you see, a cove insures his ship for
more than its value, and then off he goes and makes a box like a bit
o'coal, and fills it chock full with dynamite, or some other cowardly
stuff of the sort.  He drops this box among the other coals on the quay
when the vessel is filling her bunkers, and then in course of time
box is shoveled on to the furnaces, when of course the whole ship is
blown sky high.  They say there's many a good ship gone to the bottom
like that."

"You've certainly had some queer experiences," I said.

"Why bless you!" remarked the driver, "I've hardly got fairly
started yet, and here we are at the 'Alexandry.'  I could tell you
many another story as strange as these--and true, mind ye, true as
Gospel.  If ever your missus looks in need of a breath of fresh air
you send round for me--Copper Street, number ninety-four--and
I'll give her a turn into the country, and if you'll come up beside
me on the box, I'll tell you a good deal that may surprise you.  But
there's your little lad a hollering to you like mad, and the wife
wants to get out, and the other one's a tapping at the window with a
parasol.  Take care how you get down, sir! That's right!  Don't
forget number ninety-four!  Good-day missus!  Good-day, sir!"  And
the growler rumbled heavily away until I lost sight both of it and of
its communicative driver among the crowd of holiday-makers who
thronged the road which led to the Palace.





End of Project Gutenberg's The Cabman's Story, by Arthur Conan Doyle

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CABMAN'S STORY ***

***** This file should be named 17398.txt or 17398.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
        http://www.gutenberg.org/1/7/3/9/17398/

Produced by Darlene A. Cypser

Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties.  Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark.  Project
Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission.  If you
do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the
rules is very easy.  You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose
such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and
research.  They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do
practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks.  Redistribution is
subject to the trademark license, especially commercial
redistribution.



*** START: FULL LICENSE ***

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at
http://gutenberg.org/license).


Section 1.  General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic works

1.A.  By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement.  If you do not agree to abide by all
the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy
all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession.
If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the
terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or
entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.

1.B.  "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark.  It may only be
used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement.  There are a few
things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
even without complying with the full terms of this agreement.  See
paragraph 1.C below.  There are a lot of things you can do with Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement
and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works.  See paragraph 1.E below.

1.C.  The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation"
or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works.  Nearly all the individual works in the
collection are in the public domain in the United States.  If an
individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are
located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from
copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative
works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg
are removed.  Of course, we hope that you will support the Project
Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by
freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of
this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with
the work.  You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by
keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project
Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others.

1.D.  The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
what you can do with this work.  Copyright laws in most countries are in
a constant state of change.  If you are outside the United States, check
the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement
before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or
creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project
Gutenberg-tm work.  The Foundation makes no representations concerning
the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United
States.

1.E.  Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:

1.E.1.  The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate
access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently
whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the
phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project
Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed,
copied or distributed:

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

1.E.2.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived
from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is
posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied
and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees
or charges.  If you are redistributing or providing access to a work
with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the
work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1
through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the
Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or
1.E.9.

1.E.3.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional
terms imposed by the copyright holder.  Additional terms will be linked
to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the
permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.

1.E.4.  Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.

1.E.5.  Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg-tm License.

1.E.6.  You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any
word processing or hypertext form.  However, if you provide access to or
distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than
"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version
posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org),
you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a
copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon
request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other
form.  Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.

1.E.7.  Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.8.  You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided
that

- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
     the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
     you already use to calculate your applicable taxes.  The fee is
     owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he
     has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the
     Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.  Royalty payments
     must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you
     prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax
     returns.  Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and
     sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the
     address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to
     the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation."

- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
     you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
     does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
     License.  You must require such a user to return or
     destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium
     and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of
     Project Gutenberg-tm works.

- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any
     money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
     electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days
     of receipt of the work.

- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
     distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.

1.E.9.  If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael
Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark.  Contact the
Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.

1.F.

1.F.1.  Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm
collection.  Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain
"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or
corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual
property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a
computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by
your equipment.

1.F.2.  LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
fees.  YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3.  YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGE.

1.F.3.  LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
written explanation to the person you received the work from.  If you
received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with
your written explanation.  The person or entity that provided you with
the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a
refund.  If you received the work electronically, the person or entity
providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to
receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund.  If the second copy
is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further
opportunities to fix the problem.

1.F.4.  Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER
WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.

1.F.5.  Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by
the applicable state law.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any
provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.

1.F.6.  INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance
with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production,
promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works,
harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees,
that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do
or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm
work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any
Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause.


Section  2.  Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm

Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers
including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers.  It exists
because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from
people in all walks of life.

Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
remain freely available for generations to come.  In 2001, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations.
To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4
and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org.


Section 3.  Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation

The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
Revenue Service.  The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
number is 64-6221541.  Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at
http://pglaf.org/fundraising.  Contributions to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent
permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.

The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S.
Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered
throughout numerous locations.  Its business office is located at
809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email
business@pglaf.org.  Email contact links and up to date contact
information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official
page at http://pglaf.org

For additional contact information:
     Dr. Gregory B. Newby
     Chief Executive and Director
     gbnewby@pglaf.org


Section 4.  Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation

Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
array of equipment including outdated equipment.  Many small donations
($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
status with the IRS.

The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
States.  Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
with these requirements.  We do not solicit donations in locations
where we have not received written confirmation of compliance.  To
SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any
particular state visit http://pglaf.org

While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
approach us with offers to donate.

International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
outside the United States.  U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.

Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
methods and addresses.  Donations are accepted in a number of other
ways including including checks, online payments and credit card
donations.  To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate


Section 5.  General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works.

Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm
concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared
with anyone.  For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project
Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.


Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S.
unless a copyright notice is included.  Thus, we do not necessarily
keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.


Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:

     http://www.gutenberg.org

This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.