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she did; and, therefore, having thrown a flannel petticoat round her, she adjusted her night-cap, and opened the door.

"Good heavens!" she exclaimed; "what on earth is the matter?"

"Horror!" cried Jib, with an appalling expression; "I've seen—I've seen—a ghost!"

Cook shuddered and echoed, "A ghost!"

"A ghost!"

"My gracious!" exclaimed cook; "where?"

"Some water—some water," said Jib, "I feel faint."

And so he did; and looked faint; and cook gave him some water, and wiped the cold perspiration off his forehead with a towel. And Jib drank the water, and felt a little better; and when cook had urged him to tell all he knew, he proceeded in trembling accents thus:—

"Cook! heaven and earth, what a sight it was!—"

"Good gracious!"

"I went down to fasten the door after master—"

"I thought I heard the night-bell."

"Well, I'd no sooner effected this accomplishment, than what should I see—Oh! horror!—"

"Good heavens preserve us!"

"I saw—I beheld—a long, lanky, pale, horrid, ghastly-looking ghost, with eyes starting right out of its head, coming towards me."

"Oh! my goodness!"

"Well—I never was a coward, and so I wasn't then—I stood and watched it, and where should it go, but deliberate into the dining-room, where it is now!"

"Heaven forgive us all our sins!"

"Well, there I stood—I didn't move—when presently something went bang! just like the tremendious roar of a cannon."

"Yes, that's what I heard."

"Well, just after then you called out, and as I knew you was frightened, I came up to ease your mind."

"That was very good of you. What I should have done if you hadn't, James, heaven only knows. I'm sure I should have gone right out of my senses. Have a little more water; you look very pale."

"The smell of the brimstone made me faint."

"Well, I thought I smelt brimstone—I smell it now!—dreadful!—don't you?"

"I do—I do!" sighed Jib, and fainted.

Of all the horrid feelings by which the human breast is animated, those which cook now inspired were perhaps the most horrid.

"James—James!" she exclaimed, "oh! for goodness sake!—James!—there's a good man!—James!—Oh! heaven have mercy upon me!"

Susan, who slept in the next room, and who, although she had been awakened by the cry of murder, dared not venture out before, no sooner heard these fitful exclamations than, prompted by an extremely natural species of curiosity, she came to the door and peeped.

Was it possible—could it be possible! There was James on the bed-side, supported by cook. His head was resting on her bosom, and she