eved that flies or their ghosts besieged
that house all winter)--when the old heathen himself came boiling into
the room like a whole United States mail service delayed.

"Hoo! Heap bad ou'si'! Heap snow!" he panted, wiping drops from the lock
of the mail-pouch with his apron.

My wrath increased, because once more Fahey had got past the front door
with the mail, whereas each night I had promised myself to waylay him
and change his roundabout method of delivery. "If I live till tomorrow,"
I said crossly, "I'll see if he can't climb those steps and hand us the
bag himself."

Jim stood listening. "We might be at dinner," Joshua suggested.

"What's the matter with knocking?--what is the knocker for?" It struck
me, as I spoke, that I had not heard the sound of the knocker since the
day Jim stayed my own hand and shunted me in at the side; it seemed he
must have practised the same vigilance with subsequent comers, for I
could not recall one person who had entered the house announced by the
brass lion's head on the door.

"_He_ no lock!" Jim planted himself in front of me; his voice quavered
nervously. "All time I _un_-lock! Fi' 'tlock whistle blow--I go quick!
Nobody wait. I all time run."

"Why should you run? What is the knocker for?" I repeated. At this I
stepped past him startling him somewhat, and hurled open the front door.
I had heard our coy watchman going down the path.

"Tomorrow night, Fahey," I shouted, "you bring the bag in this way.
Knock, man! There's the knocker--see?"

Jim looked at me with eyes aghast. He gathered himself for speech,
breathing deeply.

"Mis' Oth' (my name is Othet), I tell you: Long time-_long_ time, no man
knock flon' do'. In this house, no good. No good knock. Sometime
some-come-you no man see!" He lowered his voice to a rapid whisper,
spreading his yellow palms tremulously. "You tell man come knock flon'
do'--I go 'way. Too much bad thing!"

Muttering to himself he retreated. "Now what has he got on his mind do
you suppose? Could you make out what he was driving at?"

Dean smiled, a non-committal smile. "It would be rather awkward for us,
wouldn't it, if Jim should leave? We are too far from the coast for city
servants in winter. I doubt if any of the natives could be persuaded to
stay in this house alone."

"You think Jim would leave if I made Fahey knock at that door every
night?"

Joshua answered me obliquely. "If I could ever quote anything straight,
I would remind y