And after the Ancient and Simon and I had, very creditably,
emptied the jug between us, I rose to depart.
"Peter," said the Ancient, "wheer be goin'?"
"Home!" said I.
"And wheer be that?"
"The cottage in the Hollow," said I.
"What--th' 'aunted cottage?" he cried, staring.
"Yes," I nodded; "from what I saw of it, I think, with a little
repairing, it might suit me very well."
"But the ghost?" cried the old man; "have ye forgot the ghost?"
"Why, I never heard of a ghost really harming any one yet," I
answered.
"Peter," said Simon, quietly, "I wouldn't be too sure o' that. I
wouldn't go a-nigh the place, myself; once is enough for me."
"Simon," said I, "what do you mean by 'once'?"
Now when I asked him this, Simon breathed hard, and shuffled
uneasily in his chair.
"I mean, Peter, as I've heerd un," he replied slowly.
"Heard him!" I repeated incredulously; "you? Are you sure?"
"Sure as death, Peter. I've heerd un a-shriekin' and a-groanin'
to 'isself, same as Gaffer 'as, and lots of others. Why, Lord
bless 'ee! theer be scarce a man in these parts but 'as 'eerd um
one time or another."
"Ay--I've 'eerd un, and seen un tu!" croaked the Ancient
excitedly. "A gert, tall think 'e be, wi' a 'orn on 'is 'ead,
and likewise a tail; some might ha' thought 't was the Wanderin'
Man o' the Roads as I found 'angin' on t' stapil--some on 'em du,
but I knowed better--I knowed 't were Old Nick 'isself, all
flame, and brimstone, an' wi' a babby under 'is arm!"
"A baby?" I repeated.
"A babby as ever was," nodded the Ancient.
"And you say you have heard it too, Simon?" said I.
"Ay," nodded the Innkeeper; "I went down into th' 'Oller one
evenin'--'bout six months ago, wi' Black Jarge, for we 'ad a mind
to knock th' owd place to pieces, and get rid o' the ghost that
way. Well, Jarge ups wi' 'is 'ammer, and down comes the rotten
old door wi' a crash. Jarge 'ad strung up 'is 'ammer for another
blow when, all at once, theer comes a scream." Here Simon
shivered involuntarily, and glanced uneasily over his shoulder,
and round the room.
"A scream?" said I.
"Ah!" nodded Simon, "but 'twere worse nor that." Here he paused
again, and looking closer at him, I was surprised to see that his
broad, strong hands were shaking, and that his brow glistened
with moisture.