HORSES AND B.OVKDS. 129 



fret. No, he was all right. "Well," thought Jack, "something 

 outside it must be. I'll look out ; who's afraid '?" Jack wasn't ; 

 but certain ideas about ghosts did obtrude themselves notwith- 

 standing, and I have a notion Jack was far from being easy in 

 his mind on that score. Jack peeped cautiously out, saw some- 

 thing white, and quickly popped his head in again. " 'Tis one 

 at last, sure enough !" thought Jack, and his hair began to feel 

 rather uncomfortably stiff on his head — in short, his hackles 

 began to rise as his courage began to fall. " Well !" thought 

 Jack, " this wont do, at any rate. I must get out of the stable 

 somehow, for it is near supper time, and I shall be laughed at 

 by Mary. I'll have another peep." Another groan, rather 

 louder than before. "Come," says Jack, "matters is getting 

 rather serious ; something must be done." Jack didn't fancy 

 opening the door by any means again, so he thought of the key- 

 hole ; looking through cautiously, he could only see something 

 white, but at that precise moment the ghost could not suppress 

 a chuckle, to think how he was frightening poor Jack. "Well," 

 thinks Jack, "I didn't know that ghosts laughed as well — I 

 have it now, 'tis that fool Thomas. Well, Mr. Thomas, I'll see 

 if I don't make you groan to some purpose presently ;" so Jack 

 takes hold of the twitch, a short stick witJi a bit of cord at the 

 end. " Now for my game." He accordingly opened the door 

 very cautiously, as if afraid to look out, and the ghost, em- 

 boldened by success, popped his head in with a "boo !" "Take 

 that for your boo, then," said Jack, and down came the twitch 

 with all his might upon the ghost's head ; a real groan followed, 

 and down went IsLr. Thomas, tablecloth and all. It was a 

 settler. Jack dashed a bucket of water over him to bring him 

 to, and the discomfited Thomas made his appearance at the 

 supper table in a pitiable plight, and with a broken head into 

 the bargain. Thus ended all about the ghost stories, and Jack 

 rose in the estimation of the fair for his courage. This affair, 

 however, rather increased Jack's conceit, and my father threat* 

 ened to make out his travelling ticket more than once or twice. 

 At last it was done, and poor Jack left us all, in sorrow. In 

 despair he enlisted in a marching regiment, which embarked for 

 India, and we never heard of or saw him again. Alas ! poor 

 Jack, how many a gay and gallant lad like thee, seduced by 

 that phantom. Glory, has left his bones to moulder in a foreign 

 land! 



