e is the yellow bird!" cried the young man, staring into
vacancy. "He is coming to peck my eyes out! Kill it! kill it!" dashing
his hands out from his face violently. "Has no one a sword--pray do try
to kill it!"

Here an impetuous young villager, standing by, drew his rapier, and
stabbed violently in the direction of the supposed spectral bird.

"Oh! Oh! You almost killed it! See, there are some of its feathers!" And
three yellow feathers were seen floating in the air; being small chicken
feathers with which he had been provided that very morning by Uncle
Robie, the jailer; and which the adroit Master Raymond rightly thought
would have a prodigious effect.

And the result was fully equal to his expectations. From that moment, it
was evident that he had all the beholders with him; and Squire Hathorne,
disposed as he had been to condemn him almost without a hearing, was
completely staggered. He had the feathers from the "yellow bird"
carefully placed upon his desk, with the purpose of transmitting them at
once to Master Cotton Mather who, with these palpable proofs of the
reality of the spectral appearance would be able utterly to demolish
all the skeptical unbelievers.

Finding that such an effect had been produced, Master Raymond allowed
himself to regain his composure somewhat.

"Mistress Ann Putnam, who is one of the two complainants, unaccountably
is not here," said Squire Hathorne. "Master Jethro Sands, what have you
to say against this young man? You are the other complainant."

"Probably my mother has come to the conclusion that she was mistaken, as
I told her; and therefore she has remained at home," said Ann Putnam,
the daughter; who was delighted with the feather exhibition, and was
secretly wondering how it was done.

"Well, what have you to say,--Jethro Sands?"

The audience looked around at Jethro with scornful faces, evidently
considering him an imposter. What did he know about witches--compared to
this rich young man from over the seas?

"Tell him you find you were mistaken also," whispered Leah Herrick.

"After seeing what we have seen, I withdraw my charges, Squire. I think
that Mistress Putnam and myself must have been visited by the spectre
of somebody else, and not by Master Raymond."

"I hope that next time you will wait until you are quite certain,"
replied Squire Hathorne gruffly. "Do you know that Master Raymond can
have his action against you for very heavy damages, for slander and