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"Why, Peter told us 'twere only a Scottish pipe,"

returned Job

"Ay, for sure," nodded Old Amos, "so 'e did"

"A lie, it be--a lie, a lie!" cried the Ancient, "'twere Old

Nick, I see un--plain as I see you"

"Why, ye see, you 'ettin' dre'fful old an' 'elpless, Gaffer,"

chuckled Old Aain, "an' your eyes plays tricks wi' you"

"Ah, to be sure they do!" added Job; whereupon Old Amos chuckled

so

"Oh! you chaps, you as I've seen grow up from babbies--aren't

theer one o' ye to tak' the old man's word an' believe as I seen

un?" The cracked old voice soundedslowly down the Ancient's furrowed cheek

Nobody answered, and there fell a silence broken only by the

shuffle and scrape of heavy boots and the setting down of

tankards

"Why, ye see, Gaffer," said Job at last, "theer's been a lot o'

talk o' this 'ere ghost, an' some 'as even said as they 'eerd it,

but, come to think on it, nobody's never laid eyes on it but you,

so--"

"There you are wrong,into the room