194 FIVE ACRES TOO MUCH. 



what must be called his mind. Strange ghost and 

 goose like sounds passed round and round the 

 house. Ever and anon from the poultry-yard came 

 curious low noises, as of suppressed conversational 

 cackling, and the wind sighed with a hissing sound, 

 while his shadow fell in all sorts of odd and uncouth 

 shapes upon the wall, as little like himself and much 

 like a goose as could be. In fact, it seemed as 

 though there was the dim outline of a goose trying 

 to conceal itself in his shadow. He was afraid to 

 look at it fairly, but he could see from the corner of 

 his eye that it was something uncommon. There 

 was but one refuge bed ; he hastened to undress, 

 but his clothes had never before made such objection 

 to being taken off. He was afraid to pull his shirt 

 over his head he was confident it would catch round 

 his throat so he left it on. Amid his trepidation 

 he resolved to keep the light burning; but, just as 

 he went to snuff it, an audible hiss resounded from 

 the chimney corner, and in an instant he snuffed it 

 out. Then he leaped into bed, and hid his head 

 below the bedclothes, glad of the refuge. 



There he lay still, while his heart beat so loud that 

 it seemed to shake the room. The unusual noises 

 increased even above its beating, and still more omi 

 nous sounds were heard. The windows rattled, the 



