-which they did do at
Yelverton station--Hyssop, as knowed the old man, axed him to tell more
about the miser; and he explained, so well as he knew how, that Brimpson
Drake had made untold thousands out of the French and American
prisoners, and that, without doubt, 'twas all hidden even to this day at
Dunnabridge.

"Of course Jonathan's too clever to believe such a tale--like his father
before him; but his grandfather believed it, and the old blid spent half
his time poking about the farm. Only, unfortunately, he didn't have no
luck. But 'tis there for sure; and if Jonathan had enough faith he'd
come by it--not by digging and wasting time and labor, but by doing what
is right and proper when you'm dealing with such matters."

"And what might that be?" axed Miss Burges.

Just then, however, the train for Plymouth ran up, and the old man told
her that he'd explain some other time.

"This generation laughs at such things," he said; "but they laugh best
who laugh last, and, for all we can say to the contrary, 'tis nought but
his conceit and pride be standing between that stiff-necked youth and
the wealth of a bank."

Hyssop, she thought a lot upon this; but she hadn't no need to go to the
old chap again, as she meant to do, for when she got home, her
uncle--Farmer Stonewer--knowed all about the matter, and told her how
'twas a very rooted opinion among the last generation that a miser's
spirit never could leave its hidden hoard till the stuff was brought to
light, and in human hands once more.

"Millions of good money has been found in that manner, if all we hear is
true," declared Farmer Jimmy; "and if one miser has been known to walk,
which nobody can deny, then why shouldn't another? Them as believe in
such dark things--and I don't say I do, and I don't say I don't--them as
know of such mysteries happening in their own recollection, or in the
memory of their friends, would doubtless say that Miser Brimpson still
creeps around his gold now and again; and if that money be within the
four corners of Dunnabridge Farm, and if Jonathan happed to be on the
lookout on the rightful night and at the rightful moment, 'tis almost
any odds but he might see his forbear sitting over his money-bags like a
hen on a clutch of eggs, and so recover the hoard."

"But faith's needed for such a deed," Mrs. Stonewer told her niece; "and
that pig-headed creature haven't no faith. Too proud, he is, to believe
in anything he don't understa