ourselves to other people's apples and water-melons and such things,
but it's just as much stealing as though you went into a man's house and
stole his coat.' It doesn't seem as bad when you're going for 'em; but
when you're coming back, up a lonely road, all alone, at ten o'clock at
night, a lot of stolen apples on your back, and a haunted barn not far
off, it seems _worse_.

"All the same, I held on to the apples. And when I faced the barn I
determined I'd whistle if I died in the attempt; but, boys, I don't
believe anybody could have told _that_ 'Yankee Doodle' from 'Auld Lang
Syne.' I tell you my heart jumped when I passed the tumble-down old
place; but it _stood still_ when, as I marched up the plank-road, I
heard a step behind me. I wheeled around in an instant, but there was
nothing to be seen. The moon shone as bright as ever, but there was
nothing to be seen! 'I must have imagined it,' says I to myself, and I
walked a little faster, listening with all my might, and sure enough
pat, pat, pat, came the step after me. Again I wheeled round. Not a
thing did I see. And again I started on, the apples growing heavier and
heavier. Pat, pat, pat, came the step. It wasn't like a human step. That
made it more dreadful. 'It _must_ be the ghost,' I thought; and I don't
mind telling you, fellers, I never was so frightened in my life. The
time I fell overboard was nothing to it. I made up my mind, when I
reached the bridge that crossed a little brook near our hotel, I'd
streak it (I hadn't exactly run yet, for I was saving my strength till
the last). But before I got to the bridge, says I to myself--and I must
have said it out loud, though I didn't mean to--'Perhaps he wants the
apples.'

"'Apples!' repeated a hoarse voice, with a horrid laugh.

[Illustration: "'THERE IT IS,' SAYS BARNEY."]

"I tell you, boys, those apples flew, and I flew too. Over the bridge I
went like lightning, and ran right into Barney Reardon, one of the
stable-men, who was coming to look for me. 'Something has followed me,'
I gasped, 'from the haunted barn--the ghost!' 'Did you see it?' says he.
'No,' says I, 'though I turned round a dozen times to look for it. But I
heard it pat, pat, pat, behind me all the way.' 'And it's behind you
now,' says Barney, bursting into a loud laugh. I jumped about six feet.
'There it is,' says Barney, roaring again, and pointing to--Pop Robins's
tame raven! The sly old thing looked up at me, nodded its shining black