e from the empty pot. It grew in volume until the room
was quite dense with it. Even more quickly than it began, it
disappeared, drawn apparently by some supernatural agency into the draft
of the stove and out through the rickety chimney pipe. Even Dangloss
blinked his eyes, and not because they were filled with smoke.

A deafening crash, as of many guns, came to their ears from the outside.
With one accord the entire party rushed to the outer door, a wild laugh
from the hag pursuing them.

"There!" she screamed. "There goes all there was of him! And so shall
we all go some day. Fire and smoke!"

Not one there but thought on the instant of the Arabian nights and the
genii who went up in smoke--those never-to-be-forgotten tales of wonder.

Just outside the door stood Lieutenant Saffo of the guard, his hand to
his cap. He was scarcely distinguishable, so dark had the day become.

"Good Lord!" shouted Tullis. "What's the matter? What has happened?"

"The storm, sir," said Saffo. "It is coming down the valley like the
wind." A great crash of thunder burst overhead and lightning darted
through the black, swirling skies.

"Very sudden, sir," added Mr. Hobbs from behind. "Like a puff of wind,
sir."

The Witch stood in the door behind them, smiling as amiably as it was
possible for her to smile.

"Come in," she said. "There's room for all of you. The spirits have
gone. Ha, ha! My merry man! Even the eye is gone. Come in, your
Highness. Accept the best I can offer--shelter from the hurricane. I've
seen many, but this looks to be the worst. So it came sudden, eh? Ha,
ha!"

The roar of wind and rain in the trees above seemed like a howl of
confirmation. Into the hovel crowded the dismayed pleasure-seekers,
followed by the soldiers, who had made the horses fast at the first sign
of the storm.

Down came the rain in torrents, whisked and driven, whirled and shot by
the howling winds, split by the lightning and urged to greater glee by
the deafening applause of the thunder. Apple carts in the skies!

Out in the dooryard the merry grandson of the Witch was dancing as if
possessed by revelling devils.

CHAPTER VIII

LOOKING FOR AN EYE

"Washing the dead men's bones," was the remark King made a few minutes
later. The storm was at its height; the sheets of rain that swept down
the pebbly glen elicited the gruesome sentence. He stood directly behind
the quaking Loraine, quite close to the open door; there is no