I had at first intended to tell this story myself. With that intention I wrote to each of the four brothers who separately or together figured in the singular events hereafter described, requesting of them more exact information than I already possessed. They replied not only at such length, but with such unexpectedly vivid realism, that their various narratives, in spite of some literary shortcomings, seemed to me to need only a little editorial revision to fit them for publication. I perceived that I would more prudently play the part of editor than of original author. Accordingly, I decided to let the brothers Freeman tell their own story. When their narratives overlapped I simply used the scissors. When too minute or too wandering I struck my pen through the redundancies, or what appeared to me to be such, endeavouring to secure a little more brevity and conciseness.