As soon as Dr.
Riccabocca made that discovery, it occurred to him that all the wisdom of all the schools that ever existed can't reconcile man or boy to a bad position--the moment there is a fair opportunity of letting him out of it.

Accordingly, without more ado, he lifted up the creaking board, and Lenny Fairfield darted forth like a bird from a cage, halted a moment as if for breath, or in joy; and then, taking at once to his heels, fled, as a hare to its form, fast to his mother's home.
Dr.Riccabocca dropped the yawning wood into its place, picked up his handkerchief and restored it to his pocket; and then, with some curiosity, began to examine the nature of that place of duress which had caused so much painful emotion to its rescued victim.

"Man is a very irrational animal at best," quoth the sage, soliloquizing, "and is frightened by strange buggaboos! 'T is but a piece of wood! how little it really injures! And, after all, the holes are but rests to the legs, and keep the feet out of the dirt.

And this green bank to sit upon, under the shade of the elm-tree-verily the position must be more pleasant than otherwise! I've a great mind--" Here the doctor looked around, and seeing the coast still clear, the oddest notion imaginable took possession of him; yet, not indeed a notion so odd, considered philosophically,--for all philosophy is based on practical experiment,--and Dr.Riccabocca felt an irresistible desire practically to experience what manner of thing that punishment of the stocks really was.

"I can but try! only for a moment," said he apologetically to his own expostulating sense of dignity.