old beldame was quite forgotten.

It was one evening, a few weeks after Capitola's fearful adventure in
the forest, that this old woman carefully closed up every door and
window in the front of the house, stopping every crevice through which a
ray of light might gleam and warn that impossible phenomenon--a chance
traveler, on the old road, of life within the habitation.

Having, so to speak, hermetically sealed the front of the house, she
betook herself to a large back kitchen.

This kitchen was strangely and rudely furnished, having an extra broad
fireplace with the recesses, on each side of the chimney filled with
oaken shelves, laden with strong pewter plates, dishes and mugs; all
along the walls were arranged rude, oaken benches; down the length of
the room was left, always standing, a long deal table, capable of
accommodating from fifteen to twenty guests.

On entering this kitchen Granny Raven struck a light, kindled a fire and
began to prepare a large supper.

Nor unlike the ill-omened bird whose name she bore did this old beldame
look in her close-clinging black gown, and flapping black cape and hood,
and with her sharp eyes, hooked nose and protruding chin.

Having put a huge sirloin of beef before the fire, she took down a pile
of pewter plates and arranged them along on the sides of the table; then
to every plate she placed a pewter mug. A huge wheaten loaf of bread, a
great roll of butter and several plates of pickles were next put upon
the board, and when all was ready the old woman sat down to the patient
turning of the spit.

She had not been thus occupied more than twenty minutes when a hasty,
scuffling step was heard at the back of the house, accompanied by a
peculiar whistle, immediately under the window.

"That's 'Headlong Hal,' for a penny! He never can learn the cat's
tread!" thought the crone, as she arose and withdrew the bolt of the
back door.

A little dark-skinned, black-eyed, black-haired, thin and wiry man came
hurrying in, exclaiming:

"How now, old girl--supper ready!"

She shook her head, pointed to the roasting beef, lifted up both hands
with the ten fingers spread out twice, and then made a rotary motion
with one arm.

"Oh, you mean it will be done in twenty turns; but hang me if I
understand your dumb show half the time! Have none of the men come yet?"

She put her fingers together, flung her hands widely apart in all
directions, brought them slowly together again and po