in getting out the name, such was his amusement at Mr. Mudge's
evident terror.

"What do you want of me?" inquired Mudge, nervously.

"You half starved me when I was alive," returned Ben, in a hollow voice,
"I must be revenged."

So saying he took one step forward, spreading out his arms. This was too
much for Mr. Mudge. With a cry he started and ran towards home at the
top of his speed, with Ben in pursuit.

"I believe I shall die of laughing," exclaimed Ben, pausing out of
breath, and sitting down on a stone, "what a donkey he is, to be sure,
to think there are such things as ghosts. I'd like to be by when he
tells Mrs. Mudge."

After a moment's thought, Ben wrapped up the sheet, took it under his
arm, and once more ran in pursuit of Mr. Mudge.

Meanwhile Mrs. Mudge was sitting in the kitchen of the Poorhouse,
mending stockings. She was not in the pleasantest humor, for one of the
paupers had managed to break a plate at tea-table (if that can be called
tea where no tea is provided), and trifles were sufficient to ruffle
Mrs. Mudge's temper.

"Where's Mudge, I wonder?" she said, sharply; "over to the tavern, I
s'pose, as usual. There never was such a shiftless, good-for-nothing
man. I'd better have stayed unmarried all the days of my life than have
married him. If he don't get in by ten, I'll lock the door, and it shall
stay locked. 'Twill serve him right to stay out doors all night."

Minutes slipped away, and the decisive hour approached.

"I'll go to the door and look out," thought Mrs. Mudge, "if he ain't
anywhere in sight I'll fasten the door."

She laid down her work and went to the door.

She had not quite reached it when it was flung open violently, and Mr.
Mudge, with a wild, disordered look, rushed in, nearly overturning his
wife, who gazed at him with mingled anger and astonishment.

"What do you mean by this foolery, Mudge?" she demanded, sternly.

"What do I mean?" repeated her husband, vaguely.

"I needn't ask you," said his wife, contemptuously. "I see how it is,
well enough. You're drunk!"

"Drunk!"

"Yes, drunk; as drunk as a beast."

"Well, Mrs. Mudge," hiccoughed her husband, in what he endeavored to
make a dignified tone, "you'd be drunk too if you'd seen what I've
seen."

"And what have you seen, I should like to know?" said Mrs. Mudge.

Mudge rose with some difficulty, steadied himself on his feet, and
approaching his wife, whispered in a tragic tone, "Mrs. Mudge, I've see