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looked like the body of a man, coiled up in a true hedge-hog fashion, in the clift of a tree 25 or 30 feet high. At first he mistrusted his powers of vision, but on discovering that he saw as well as usual, he could only account for the apparition by supposing that a whirlwind had arisen during the night, and furtively transported some neighbouring scarerow to a spot where no scarecrow used to be. Still he had his doubts; scarecrows are newer dressed like dandies; and a cravat so clean, hose so tidy, with coat, vest, and small clothes at once so fashionable and admirably fitted, could only, he thought, belong to an animate being. The "thews and sinews" pointed to exactly the same conclusion, and A MAN IT WAS, AND MUST BE, who sleeping or walking, ran some risk of tumbling over bed the moment he disensconced himself from his sylvan curtains, or raised his head from a timber pillow, ⟨in⟩ these circumstances the honest hind thought it ⟨right⟩ to rouse some of the neighbours, who assembled very promptly at his call, and, headed ⟨by⟩ a sailor, held a council of war right under ⟨branches⟩ much better fitted for the perch of a bird ⟨than⟩ a human being. A ladder was sent for and ⟨a⟩ coil of rope, and the gallant tar nimbly clewed ⟨the⟩ wooden shrouds, with a view of making the ⟨slumberer⟩ fast, and lowering him when he chanced ⟨to⟩ come to his senses. But in slipping the cord ⟨under⟩ his head, the ma awoke, and actually (illegible text)ed as wildly at his deliverer, as ever a criminal did when his neck was about to be inserted ⟨in⟩ a halter. With much ado, he was piloted ⟨through⟩ projecting boughs and twigs, safely
