yrtle Hazard, rescued from great
peril of the waters, and cared for by good Samaritans, is now in her
home. Thou, O Lord, who didst let the water-flood overflow her, didst
not let the deep swallow her up, nor the pit shut its mouth upon her.
Let us return our thanks to the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God
of Jacob, who is our God and Father, and who hath wrought this great
deliverance."

After his prayer, which it tried him sorely to utter in unbroken tones,
he gave out the hymn,

"Lord, thou hast heard thy servant cry,
And rescued from the grave;"

but it was hardly begun when the leading female voice trembled and
stopped,--and another,--and then a third,--and Father Pemberton, seeing
that they were all overcome, arose and stretched out his arms, and
breathed over them his holy benediction.

The village was soon alive with the news. The sexton forgot the
solemnity of the Sabbath, and the bell acted as if it was crazy, tumbling
heels over head at such a rate, and with such a clamor, that a good many
thought there was a fire, and, rushing out from every quarter, instantly
caught the great news with which the air was ablaze.

A few of the young men who had come back went even further in their
demonstrations. They got a small cannon in readiness, and without
waiting for the going down of the sun, began firing rapidly, upon which
the Rev. Mr. Stoker sallied forth to put a stop to this violation of the
Sabbath. But in the mean time it was heard on all the hills, far and
near. Some said they were firing in the hope of raising the corpse; but
many who heard the bells ringing their crazy peals guessed what had
happened. Before night the parties were all in, one detachment bearing
the body of the bob-tailed catamount swung over a pole, like the mighty
cluster of grapes from Eshcol, and another conveying with wise precaution
that monstrous snapping-turtle which those of our friends who wish to see
will find among the specimens marked Chelydra, Serpentine in the great
collection at Cantabridge.

CHAPTER XI.

VEXED WITH A DEVIL.

It was necessary at once to summon a physician to advise as to the
treatment of Myrtle, who had received a shock, bodily and mental, not
lightly to be got rid of, and very probably to be followed by serious and
varied disturbances. Her very tranquillity was suspicious, for there
must be something of exhaustion in it, and the reaction must come sooner
or later.

O