DICK'S GHOST. 99 



mother company, when, all on a sudden, the 

 dogs in the yard broke out barking madly. I 

 slipped on father's list slippers, snatched up my 

 gun, and went out to see what was the matter 

 with the dogs. There was old Dick's ghost, 

 clearing out of the yard like a streak of light- 

 ning it was just going through the folding 

 gates, having to stoop down to get under, 

 when I let fly and bowled it over, stone dead, 

 without a sound save the report of " Brown 

 Bess," my gun. Then I got my mother to 

 help me drag it into the house, and cover it 

 over with two sacks, under the salting trough. 



When father came home, I said I would show 

 him old Dick's ghost. 



"Well,' said he, " I hope you may, Jack." 



So I took him up to the trough, and pulled 

 the sacks off the ghost. He stepped back in 

 amazement. 



11 Sure enough, you've killed him, my boy," 

 said he. "We'll leave him 'till the morning 

 for old Dick to have a look at him, and then we 

 must put him out of sight, as there will be a 

 great stir as soon as he is missed." 



