demanded Mr. Brown.

"That is for you to say," I replied.

"The liquor is all gone?"

"Every drop," I answered.

"I think," said Mr. Brown, after a short pause, "that I would give a
month's pay, including bribes, if I had a gallon of good whiskey by my
side. A man who intends to combat the devil and his imps should have
something besides powder and ball to fling at their heads."

"If you had the liquor," I replied, "neither of us would be in a
condition, after a few drinks, to throw any thing at your ghosts. I know
of one man who would throw himself upon the ground and sleep until
morning, and let Bill Swinton and money go to the devil, where they
belong."

"Pass on," whispered Mr. Brown, making way for me to proceed, the bridge
being too narrow for both of us to walk abreast.

"Excuse me," I replied, "I think that I should follow on behind to
prevent you from running away; or in case you again tumble into the bog,
to lend a ready hand. You go first."

My friend hesitated for a moment, glanced eagerly towards the island,
and seeing nothing objectionable, stepped foot upon the bridge and
commenced the perilous journey.

I followed close at his heels, and when we reached the spot which was
the scene of his experience in the bog, the slime and water had filled
up the hole which his body made, and all looked hard and treacherous as
ever. Mr. Brown pointed to the spot with his hand as he passed, but he
neither turned nor made remark, although I thought I saw his form
tremble at the recollection of his danger.

We were not more than two minutes in reaching the end of the bridge, and
then we again paused to reconnoitre. Nothing to alarm us was to be seen,
and we again ventured forward, this time with more confidence than we
had felt since we had started.

"Your ghost has fled," I said, in a half whisper.

At that instant, as though to disprove my words, we heard a sharp, quick
blow, that sounded like an iron shovel struck upon stones. We uttered no
word, or made the least noise, but we turned our looks upon the largest
portion of the island with wonderful quickness, and, as though of one
mind, we attempted to reach the bridge by a precipitate flight. Our
intentions, however, were balked by our own eagerness, for just as I was
about striking out my legs got mixed up with my companion's, and down we
both went, full length, upon the ground. We scrambled to gain our feet,
and I think that I arose first; but I had no