row if you do."

But this was the very thing that Miss Deb resolved to do. Not to get
Master Cheese into a "row," but that she saw no other way of allaying
her uncertainty. Ghosts were utterly excluded from Deborah West's creed;
and why so many people should be suddenly testifying that Frederick
Massingbird's was to be seen, she could not understand. That there must
be something in it more than the common absurdity of such tales, the
state of Alice Hook appeared to testify.

"Can Bob be spared to go over to Broom's in the morning?" she asked,
after a long pause of silence, given apparently to the contemplation of
Master Cheese's intense enjoyment of his walnuts; in reality, to deep
thought.

"Well, I don't know," answered the young gentleman, who never was ready
to accord the services of Bob indoors, lest it might involve any little
extra amount of exertion for himself. "There's a sight of medicine to be
taken out just now. Jan's got a great deal to do, and _I_ am nearly
worked off my legs."

"It looks like it," retorted Miss Deborah. "Your legs will never be much
the worse for the amount of work _you_ do. Where's Mr. Jan?"

"He went out to go to Hook's," replied Master Cheese, a desperately hard
walnut proving nearly too much for his teeth. "He'll take a round, I
dare say, before he comes in."

Deborah returned indoors. Though not much inclined to reticence in
general, she observed it now, saying nothing to Amilly. The storm came
on, and they sat and watched it. Supper time approached, and Master
Cheese was punctual. He found some pickled herrings on the table, of
which he was uncommonly fond, and ate them as long as Miss West would
supply his plate. The meal was over when Jan came in.

"Don't trouble to have anything brought back for me," said he. "I'll eat
a bit of bread and cheese." He was not like his assistant; his growing
days were over.

Master Cheese went straight up to bed. He liked to do so as soon as
supper was over, lest any summons came, and he should have to go out.
Easy Jan, no matter how tired he might be, would attend himself, sooner
than wake up Master Cheese--a ceremony more easy to attempt than to
accomplish. Fortifying himself with about a pound of sweet cake, which
he kept in his box, as dessert to the herrings, and to refresh his
dreams, Master Cheese put himself into bed.

Jan meanwhile finished his bread and cheese, and rose. "I wonder whether
I shall get a whole night of it tonight