t is the last I
ever pay you."

"If I ever catch you here again," muttered Schwartz, coming,
half-frightened, out of the corner--but before he could finish his
sentence, the old gentleman had shut the house door behind him with a
great bang; and past the window, at the same instant, drove a wreath of
ragged cloud, that whirled and rolled away down the valley in all manner
of shapes; turning over and over in the air, and melting away at last in
a gush of rain.

"A very pretty business, indeed, Mr. Gluck!" said Schwartz. "Dish the
mutton, sir. If ever I catch you at such a trick again--bless me, why
the mutton's been cut!"

"You promised me one slice, brother, you know," said Gluck.

"Oh! and you were cutting it hot, I suppose, and going to catch all the
gravy. It'll be long before I promise you such a thing again. Leave the
room, sir; and have the kindness to wait in the coal-cellar till I call
you."

Gluck left the room melancholy enough. The brothers ate as much mutton
as they could, locked the rest in the cupboard, and proceeded to get
very drunk after dinner.

Such a night as it was! Howling wind and rushing rain, without
intermission.

The brothers had just sense enough left to put up all the shutters, and
double-bar the door, before they went to bed. They usually slept in the
same room. As the clock struck twelve, they were both awakened by a
tremendous crash. Their door burst open with a violence that shook the
house from top to bottom.

"What's that?" cried Schwartz, starting up in his bed.

"Only I," said the little gentleman.

The two brothers sat up on their bolster, and stared into the darkness.
The room was full of water, and by a misty moonbeam, which found its way
through a hole in the shutter, they could see, in the midst of it, an
enormous foam globe, spinning round, and bobbing up and down like a
cork, on which, as on a most luxurious cushion, reclined the little old
gentleman, cap and all. There was plenty of room for it now, for the
roof was off.

"Sorry to incommode you," said their visitor, ironically. "I'm afraid
your beds are dampish; perhaps you had better go to your brother's room;
I've left the ceiling on there."

They required no second admonition, but rushed into Gluck's room, wet
through, and in an agony of terror.

"You'll find my card on the kitchen table," the old gentleman called
after them. "Remember, the _last_ visit."

"Pray Heaven it may be!" said Schwartz, shudde