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"Shall we go up to the gate?"

"I'll go to the door, and knock them up, if you like!"

"Well, but let's first go up to the gate, and have a look."

Legge consented at once; and they went to the gate, and looked anxiously round, but saw no "ghost." The door was closed, and all was still: there was, indeed, a light in Aunt Eleanor's room; but that they both knew to be usually there.

Aunt Eleanor, however, was restless that night: the duel and the action both preyed upon her mind; and, therefore, when she heard Legge and Quocks talking at the gate, she came to the window and looked.

"What's that!" exclaimed Quocks, as he saw the blind move.

"That's Mrs. Sound," returned Legge. "Stop a bit. Perhaps she'll open the window."

She did do so; and having cried "Who's there?" Legge answered; and she knew his voice at once.

"Is there anything the matter, Mr. Legge?" she inquired.

"Why, ma'am," replied Legge; "they say it's a ghost."

"Good heavens! What again! Did you see it?"

"Why, ma'am, I saw something very much like one; and if it be, it has just now entered your cottage."

"Heaven preserve us!" exclaimed Aunt Eleanor.

"You shouldn't have told her that Legge—" said Quocks.

"I don't wish to alarm you, ma'am," cried Legge. "My only object is to render every possible assistance, if any assistance be required."

"You are very kind—very kind. Will you wait a moment?"

"Certainly, ma'am, with all the pleasure in life."

Aunt Eleanor then rang the bell, and continued to ring until Mary appeared.

"Mary," she cried, "tell Judkins to get up this moment."

"Anything the matter, ma'am?"

"Tell him to go down and speak to Mr. Legge."

Mary conveyed the message to Judkins, who was up in a moment, and lost no time in running down to the door.

"What's the row?" he inquired; "what is it?"

"Have you heard any noise?" cried Legge.

"Noise! no. What noise do you mean?"

"We thought that you might perhaps have heard some noise."

"Open the gate, Judkins: I wish to speak to Mr. Legge," said Aunt Eleanor, as she descended.

Judkins opened the gate, and Legge and his friend Quocks went to the door, and explained to Aunt Eleanor all they had seen, and thereby inspired her with feelings of apprehension.

She then searched the cottage, but found nothing at all calculated to create the slightest alarm, and eventually knocked at Sylvester's door, and awoke him.

"Have you been at all disturbed, my dear?" she inquired.

"No, aunt! no!" he replied.

"I am happy to hear it. I thought that you might have been. Good night, my dear: God bless you: good night."