was contiguous to the chamber in which his friend Peregrine was
stationed, thrust the label with his uncle's name through a small chink
in the partition according to agreement, muttering at the time a sort
of gibberish, that increased the panic of his audience; then returning
to his chair, the knell was tolled again, and Pickle called aloud, "D--n
your mummery: why don't you despatch?"

This was a signal to Crabtree, who thus certified of his having received
the paper, stood up and waved his wand in the figure of an S. The motion
being thrice performed, their ears were all of a sudden invaded by
a terrible noise in the next room, accompanied with the voice of
Peregrine, who exclaimed, in a tone of horror and amazement, "Guard me,
Heaven! my Uncle Trunnion!" This ejaculation had such an effect upon the
hearers, that two of them swooned with fear, a third fell upon his knees
and prayed aloud, while the other three, in a transport of dismay and
distraction, burst open the door, and rushed into the haunted chamber,
where they found the table and chair overturned, and Peregrine extended,
in all appearance without sense or motion, upon the floor.

They immediately began to chafe his temples, and the first symptom of
his recovery which they perceived was a hollow groan; after which he
pronounced these words: "Merciful powers! if I live I saw the commodore
with his black patch, in the very clothes he wore at my sister's
wedding." This declaration completed their astonishment and terror; they
observed a wildness in his looks, which he seemed to bend on something
concealed from their view; and were infected by his appearance to such
a pitch of superstition, that it would have been an easy matter to
persuade them that the chair and table were apparitions of their
forefathers. However, they conducted Peregrine into the council chamber,
where the conjurer and Hadgi were employed in ministering to those who
had fainted.

The patients having retrieved the use of their faculties, Cadwallader,
assuming a double portion of severity in his aspect, asked if they were
not ashamed of their former incredulity; declaring, that he was ready
to give them more convincing proofs of his art upon the spot, and would
immediately recall three generations of their progenitors from the dead,
if they were disposed to relish such company. Then turning to one of
them, whose grandfather had been hanged, "Are you," said he, "ambitious
of seeing the first r