on, go on! What are we waitin' for? Douse those
lights, somebody."

Miss Hoag--who had been glancing at the light keeper's face and behaving
in the same oddly nervous, almost apprehensive manner which Martha had
noticed when she entered the parlor--took her seat in the official
chair and closed her eyes. Mr. Beebe turned down the lamps. The ancient
melodeon, recently prescribed for and operated upon by the repairer from
Hyannis, but still rheumatic and asthmatic, burst forth in an unhealthy
rendition of a Moody and Sankey hymn. The seance for which Galusha Bangs
had laid plans and to which he had looked forward hopefully if a little
fearfully--that seance was under way. And now, such was the stunning
effect of the most recent blow dealt him by Fate, he, Galusha, was
scarcely aware of the fact.

The melodeon pumped on and on. The rustlings and shiftings in the circle
subsided and the expectant and shivery hush which Primmie feared and
adored succeeded it. Miss Black wailed away at the Moody and Sankey
selection. Miss Hoag's breathing became puffy. She uttered her first
preliminary groan. Cousin Gussie, being an unsophisticated stranger,
was startled, as Mr. Bangs had been at the former seance, but Primmie's
whisper reassured him.

"It's all right," whispered Primmie. "She ain't sick nor nothin'. She's
just a-slippin' off."

The banker did not understand.

"Slipping off?" he repeated. "Off what?"

"Off into sperit land. In a minute you'll hear her control talkin'
Chinee talk.... There! My savin' soul! hear it?... Ain't it awful!"

"Little Cherry Blossom" had evidently been waiting at the transmitter.
The husky croak which had so amazed Galusha was again heard.

"How do? How do, everybodee?" hailed Little Cherry Blossom. "I gladee
see-ee you. Yes, indeedee."

Cabot made mental note of the fact that the Blossom spoke her spirit
pidgin-English with a marked Down-East accent. Before he had time to
notice more, the control announced that she had a message. The circle
stirred in anticipation. Primmie wiggled in fearful ecstasy.

"Listen!" commanded Little Cherry Blossom. "Everybodee harkee. Spirit
comee heree. He say-ee--"

"Ow-ooo-ooo--ooo--OOO!!"

As prophesied by Mr. Zacheus Bloomer, the fog had come in and Zacheus,
faithful to his duties as associate guardian of that section of the
coast, had turned loose the great foghorn.

The roar was terrific. The windows rattled and the whole building seemed
to shake.