e sure he had seen the bogle
that my granam used to frighten us with. 'Father, father,' says I, as
soon as I could speak, 'what's happened? ha' ye seen it?' He did not
say a word, but sat down in the big rocking-chair by t' hob-end, when
he tilted his head back, and began swingin' back'ard and for'ard,
moaning all the while as if he waur in great trouble. I looked at him,
as well as I could, for I had lighted a whole candle a while before. I
sat down, too, and not another word could I say. But, my conscience!
what a racket the dogs made when they saw him! They jumped, and
frisked, and almost cried for joy, as though they had gi'en him up for
lost, and were desperately fain, poor things, at his return. The first
word he spoke was to these dummies; for they whined, wriggled, and
wagged their tails, and licked his fingers, enough to have drawn words
from a stone wa'. 'Ay, ay, ye sneaking rascals,' said he, 'ye left me
wi' yere tails down low enough, and as fast as your legs could lilt ye
off, when I was forefoughten wi''----Here he looked round, with a face
so dismal and disturbed that I verily think I should not forget it if
I waur at my last shrift. Taking this opportunity, as I may say, I
ventured a word or so. The old man gave me another of those terrible
looks before he spoke--'Eh, me!' said he, 'my days are but few now, I
reckon. I've seen the'----He stopped and looked round again; then he
said, almost in a whisper--'I've seen him, Martin!' 'I thought so,'
says I. 'I've seen the ould one, I believe,' says he; 'an' that's more
nor I'll like to do again, or thee either. We've done wi' our
night-work now, an' the dogs may just go where they can get an honest
bellyful.' You may be sure I was sadly fear'd. I durst not ask him how
it happened that he should have snappered upon old Sootypaws; but in a
while he saved me the speerin', and, as well as I can think, this was
the account of his misadventure:--

"'I was goin' up by the Pike,' said he, 'and a brave shower of
moonlight there was, weltering on the side of the hill, when, just as
I got behind it there in the shadow, I thought I saw somethin' big and
black standing among a little clump of gorses afore me. I felt started
a somehow, but I rubb'd my forehead and eyes, and looked again. It did
not shift, so I thought I might as well make the best o' the matter,
an' went for'ard without altering my speed. Well, what should I see
when I got nearer, but a great spanking black