122 THE OWLS SCREECHES. CHAP. vii. 



was as fearless by night as by day. No thought of 

 * ghosts, hobgoblins, water-kelpies, brownies, fairies, or 

 the other supposed spirits of darkness, ever daunted 

 him. But, on this particular night, he had one of the 

 most alarming and fearful awakenings that he had 

 ever experienced. 



There had been a fearful thunderstorm, during 

 which he had taken shelter in a hole in the woods of 

 Mountcoffer. He had fallen asleep with his head upon 

 the lock of his gun. Before he entered the burrow, he 

 had caught a field-mouse, which he wished to take home 

 alive. He therefore tied a string round its tail, attach- 

 ing the other end of the string (which was about six 

 feet long) to his waistcoat. The little fellow had thus 

 the liberty of the length of his tether. 



While Edward was sleeping soundly, he was 

 awakened by something tug-tugging at his waistcoat ; 

 and then by hearing a terrific series of yells, mingled 

 with screeches, close at his head. He was confused 

 and bewildered at first, and did not know where he 

 was, or what the dreadful noises meant. Recover- 

 ing his recollection, and opening his eyes, he looked 

 about him. He remembered the mouse, and pulled 

 back the string to which it had been attached. The 

 mouse was gone. Nothing but the skin of its tail 

 remained. He looked up, and saw an Owl sitting on 

 a tree a few yards off. He had doubtless begun to 

 scream when he found that his capture of the mouse 

 was resisted by the string attached to its tail. Edward 



