t must 'a' been wanct, but they'd been a fire in it, and 'twas only
the walls of it was standin', with wan big second-story room stickin'
up big and darkish in a corner of it. Raymimber that wan second-story
room in your mind. It was all a bit creepy-like, and I wint at me
shoes in a hurry.

"I had the both of thim off and shakin' thim, rubbin' me sock-feet
together to keep some of thim mosquities away, whin all to wanct I
heard something walkin'. Just as I was, I turned mesilf to stone, with
me feet up off the ground and a empty shoe held out in the air afore
me in each hand, balancin' mesilf wonderful.

"The steps come nearer. 'They ain't anny ghost makes that much noise,'
I says, niver losin' me nerve or movin' a inch annywheres. 'Though ye
can't niver tell about ghosts.' And just thin a little man come
strollin' round the corner of a wall and stood lookin' at me. It
wasn't so dark yet but what I could be makin' out what little they was
of him, and if iver wan of thim dudes in the newspaper funny-pictures
come to life, here he was, only thim funny-pictures must 'a' been
drawed by ammyteurs. I misdoubted was he real, but if he was, they was
money on him, and if they was money on him, it would come off of him
easy-like, and I could be namin' the man would spend it. Thin I
raymimbered I was still holdin' up me shoes and me feet, like I was
settin' on the point of a church-steeple, for his mouth was hangin'
open like I was the first wan he iver seen, and belike I was.

"'Pardon me,' he says, 'but why do ye do that?' says he, singin' it
off like a Englishman.

"'Whisht!' I says, not thinkin' of anny answer yet and cursin' the
stone for bein' so hard.

"'But, me good man,' says he, payin' no attention, '_why_ are ye
holdin' thim shoes up in the air?'

"'Whisht!' says I. 'Why not?'

"'Why not?' says he, gaspin'.

"'Ye said "why" the other time,' I says. 'Which do ye mean?'

"'Which what?' says he, weak-like.

"'Either wan of thim,' says I; 'sure, all what's is the same to me.
But run along with ye now and don't be disturbin' me; it's workin' a
charm I am. Unless ye would be helpin' me hold these shoes steady,' I
adds enticin', bein' wishful of gittin' him close enough to grab him.

"'Hold thim shoes steady?' says he.

"'Hold thim shoes steady,' says I.

"'A charm?' says he.

"'Yis,' says I, 'a charm. And would ye mind not usin' me own
conversation over ag'in so soon, sor? I've heard tell 'twas bad luck,
a