moking ruins to take a nearer view.

The first thing that met his sight was the sole of a man's boot,
belonging to a leg protruding from the mass.

"If it should be hizzen! Oh, good gracious! if it should be marster's!
But no," he continued, on a closer examination of the limb. "No! there
is a spur on the heel. It isn't hizzen. No! thank goodness, it is Master
Sheriff Benthwick's, and sarve him right too."

While Joe was exulting, either wickedly over the destruction of the
sheriff, or piously over the possible preservation of his master, there
was a sound of crackling footsteps through the thicket, and the
forerunners of the approaching crowd appeared upon the scene.

Among them was Captain Pendleton, who, recognizing the figure of Joe
even in the obscure light, strode towards him, eagerly demanding:

"What is all this? How did it happen? Do you know?"

"Oh, marse Capping Pendulum, sir, I's so glad you'se come!" cried Joe,
on the verge of tears.

"But how did this happen?" impatiently repeated the captain.

"Oh, sir, don't you see as the debbil has blowed up the Haunted Chapel
and my young mistess and marster into it all this time," sobbed the man.

"Good Heaven! You don't mean that, Joe!" exclaimed Captain Pendleton.

"Yes, I do, sir; worse luck! which you can see for yourself, as even
poor little ignorant Nelly knows it," wept Joe.

And the little Skye terrier, as if to confirm the negro's words, ran and
leaped upon the captain, whining pathetically, and then ran backward and
forward between him and the heap of ruins, as if to impress upon his
mind that her dear master and mistress were really buried there, and to
implore him to come to their assistance.

But other people were now pouring rapidly in upon the scene of the
catastrophe.

Exclamations of horror and dismay were uttered; then pine knots were
sought and lighted, and everybody crowded around the ruins.

"There are human beings buried beneath this pile; for Heaven's sake,
friends, lose no time; but disperse and find tools to dig this away!"
exclaimed Captain Pendleton, energetically.

Several of the by-standers started at once for the nearest farm-houses
to procure the needful tools.

Captain Pendleton turned to Joe.

"Tell me now," he said; "how came Mr. and Mrs. Berners in this place?"

Joe related all that he knew of their escape from the sheriff's
officers, their accidental meeting with him, their arrival at the
Haunted Chapel, the my