footsteps of an old
dog, and the metallic shaking sound of his collar, were heard coming
up stairs.

"Here's old Peter!" said his visitor.

"_Peter's dead_!" whispered his owner.

The sounds passed through the closed door, heard by all; they pattered
into the room; the fox-terrier bristled up, growled, and pursued a
viewless object across the carpet; from the hearth-rug sounded a
shake, a jingle of a collar and the settling weight of a body
collapsing into repose. {156}

This pleasing anecdote rests on what is called _nautical evidence_,
which, for reasons inexplicable to me, was (in these matters)
distrusted by Sir Walter Scott.

CHAPTER VIII

More Ghosts with a Purpose. Ticonderoga. The Beresford Ghost.
Sources of Evidence. The Family Version. A New Old-Fashioned Ghost.
Half-past One o'clock. Put out the Light!

The ghost in the following famous tale had a purpose. He was a
Highland ghost, a Campbell, and desired vengeance on a Macniven, who
murdered him. The ghost, practically, "cried Cruachan," and tried to
rouse the clan. Failing in this, owing to Inverawe's loyalty to his
oath, the ghost uttered a prophecy.

The tale is given in the words of Miss Elspeth Campbell, who collected
it at Inverawe from a Highland narrator. She adds a curious
supplementary tradition in the Argyle family.

TICONDEROGA

It was one evening in the summer of the year 1755 that Campbell of
Inverawe {157} was on Cruachan hill side. He was startled by seeing a
man coming towards him at full speed; a man ragged, bleeding, and
evidently suffering agonies of terror. "The avengers of blood are on
my track, Oh, save me!" the poor wretch managed to gasp out.
Inverawe, filled with pity for the miserable man, swore "By the word
of an Inverawe which never failed friend or foe yet" to save him.

Inverawe then led the stranger to the secret cave on Cruachan hill
side.

None knew of this cave but the laird of Inverawe himself, as the
secret was most carefully kept and had been handed down from father to
son for many generations. The entrance was small, and no one passing
would for an instant suspect it to be other than a tod's hole, {158a}
but within were fair-sized rooms, one containing a well of the purest
spring water. It is said that Wallace and Bruce had made use of this
cave in earlier days.

Here Inverawe left his guest. The man was so overcome by terror that
he clung on to Inverawe's plaid, {158b} imploring