n
a sperrit."

"It's plain enough that you've seen spirit," retorted his wife. "'Tisn't
many nights that you don't, for that matter. You ought to be ashamed of
yourself, Mudge."

"It isn't that," said her husband, shaking his hand, "it's a sperrit,--a
ghost, that I've seen."

"Indeed!" said Mrs. Mudge, sarcastically, "perhaps you can tell whose it
is."

"It was the sperrit of Sally Baker," said Mudge, solemnly.

"What did she say?" demanded Mrs. Mudge, a little curiously.

"She said that I--that we, half starved her, and then she started to run
after me--and--oh, Lordy, there she is now!"

Mudge jumped trembling to his feet. Following the direction of his
outstretched finger, Mrs. Mudge caught a glimpse of a white figure
just before the window. I need hardly say that it was Ben, who had just
arrived upon the scene.

Mrs. Mudge was at first stupefied by what she saw, but being a woman
of courage she speedily recovered herself, and seizing the broom
from behind the door, darted out in search of the "spirit." But Ben,
perceiving that he was discovered, had disappeared, and there was
nothing to be seen.

"Didn't I tell you so?" muttered Mudge, as his wife re-entered, baffled
in her attempt, "you'll believe it's a sperrit, now."

"Go to bed, you fool!" retorted his wife.

This was all that passed between Mr. and Mrs. Mudge on the subject. Mr.
Mudge firmly believes, to this day, that the figure which appeared to
him was the spirit of Sally Baker.

XXVIII.

HOW BEN GOT HOME.

Delighted with the complete success of his practical joke, Ben took his
way homeward with the sheet under his arm. By the time he reached his
father's house it was ten o'clock. The question for Ben to consider now
was, how to get in. If his father had not fastened the front door he
might steal in, and slip up stairs on tiptoe without being heard.
This would be the easiest way of overcoming the difficulty, and Ben,
perceiving that the light was still burning in the sitting-room, had
some hopes that he would be able to adopt it. But while he was only
a couple of rods distant he saw the lamp taken up by his father, who
appeared to be moving from the room.

"He's going to lock the front door," thought Ben, in disappointment; "if
I had only got along five minutes sooner."

From his post outside he heard the key turn in the lock.

The 'Squire little dreamed that the son whom he imagined fast asleep in
his room was just outside th