ported to have said "the big ghost of the house across the drain." I
ran to the out-houses to find out how much was true but when I reached
the stables the woman I was told was not talking. I found her in
convulsions.

To return to our story; the doctor asked the patient who he was.

"I am General ----" said the boy.

"Why are you here" asked the doctor.

"I shall tell you that after I have had my roast mutton and the
vegetables--" said the boy or rather the ghost.

"But how can we be convinced that you are General ----" asked the doctor.

"Call Captain X---- of the XI Brahmans and he will know," said the
ghost, "in the meantime get me the food or I shall kill the patient."

The father of the patient at once began to shout that he would get the
mutton and the vegetables. The Doctor in the meantime rushed out to
procure some more medical assistance as well as to fetch Captain X of
the XI Brahmans.

The few big European officers of the station were also informed and
within a couple of hours the sick-room was full of sensible educated
gentle men. The mutton was in the meantime ready.

"The mutton is ready" said the doctor.

"Lower it into the well in the compound" said the ghost.

A basket was procured and the mutton and the vegetables were lowered
into the well.

But scarcely had the basket gone down 5 yards (the well was 40 feet
deep) when somebody from inside the well shouted.

"Take it away--take it away--there is no salt in it."

Those that were responsible for the preparation had to admit their
mistake.

The basket was pulled out, some salt was put in, and the basket was
lowered down again.

But as the basket went in about 5 or 6 yards somebody from inside the
well pulled it down with such force that the man who was lowering it
narrowly escaped being dragged in; fortunately he let the rope slip
through his hands with the result that though he did not fall into the
well his hands were bleeding profusely.

Nothing happened after that and everybody returned to the patient.

After a few minutes silence the patient said:--

"Take away the rope and the basket, why did you not tie the end of the
rope to the post."

"Why did you pull it so hard" said one of the persons present.

"I was hungry and in a hurry" said the ghost.

They asked several persons to go down into the well but nobody would. At
last a fishing hook was lowered down. The basket, which had at first
completely disappeared, was now f