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"Me go—me? Where's your fellow? Let him go: I'll not go—the ideor, indeed! Let him go—that is, if you can spare him."

"You wrong me, Susan—indeed, you do."

"I don't care a pin about what you say, ma'am—I'll not go."

The bell rang again, and continued to ring, for the wire sawed to and fro with unexampled violence; and as it was then clear that Susan was inexorable, cook actually offered to go down with Jib!

"Why it's madness you utter!" exclaimed Jib—"madness! If you were to see it, you'd be frightened to death."

"It wo'n't harm me, James: it wo'n't harm me. Come, come—be a man!"

This appeal to Jib's manhood awakened his courage, and seizing the ewer—the only available weapon in the room—he inspired a little of the spirit of desperation, and descended, closely followed by cook. As they passed the dining-room, Jib was amazed, but at the same time relieved, on finding the door closed; but they had no sooner passed, than Tom, whose patience was exhausted, thundered at the street door with such startling violence, that, as the sound reverberated, cook flew up-stairs, leaving Jib in the hall alone.

Having recovered those faculties which had thus been astonished, Jib nerved himself once more, and opened the door; and as Tom very angrily entered, he was about to tell him exactly what he meant, but he no sooner saw Jib's deplorable aspect, than his anger was wholly supplanted by mirth.

"Why you biserable udhappy lookidg wretch," cried Tom, "what have you beed at? Puttidg your head udder the pubp, or dividg idto the water-butt?"

"Oh!" said Jib, "I've seen a ghost!"

"You've seed a what?"

"A horrid ghost!"

"What had you for supper last dight?"

"Bread and cheese sir."

"Dothing else?"

"Oh, yes: I did have a little bit of pork."

"Of course you did! Your stobach's out of order: you've beed dreabidg."

"No, it isn't that, sir: oh, no, it isn't that. I saw it as plain, sir—as plain as could be."

"Did you really! Well, add what did it say? It threw a bucket of water over you, I suppose, to begid with."

"No, sir: nor did it say a word; but I saw it stalk horridly into that room: and it's my belief that it's in there now."

"Well, let's go add have a look at it, Jib. Let us see what it's bade of."

Jib duly delivered the lamp to Tom, and allowed him to enter the room alone; but the moment he entered, Tom, perceiving the pier-glass shattered to atoms, exclaimed—

"Hollo! why, what's all this!" with so much vehemence, that Jib, who imagined the ghost was there still, started off, and rushed up stairs with feelings of horror.