he helmet would have allowed it. The sound was simple
enough in itself, however; being slight, slow, and regular, and was only
horrible in Joe's mind, because of his being utterly unable to account
for it, or to conceive what it could be.

Whatever the sound was, it banished sleep from his eyes for at least a
quarter of an hour. At last, unable to stand the strain of uncertainty,
he arose, drew his hatchet, took down his lantern, and, coughing loudly
and sternly--as though to say:

"Have a care, I'm coming!"--removed the door and went cautiously into
the passage, where the sound appeared to come from. It did not cease on
his appearing; but went on slowly and steadily, and louder than before.
It appeared to be at his very elbow; yet Joe could see nothing, and a
cold perspiration broke out on him.

"Och! av I could only _see_ it!" he gasped.

Just as he said this he _did_ see it, for a turn of his lantern revealed
the fact that a drop of water fell regularly from one of the burnt beams
upon a large sheet of paper which had been torn from the passage wall.
This, resting on the irregular rubbish, formed a sort of drum, which
gave forth a hollow sound.

"Ah, then, but ye _are_ a goose, Joe Corney, me boy!" said the fireman,
as he turned away with an amiable smile and resumed his seat after
replacing the door.

About this time the wind began to rise, and came in irregular gusts. At
each gust the door was blown from the wall an inch or so, and fell back
with a noise that invariably awoke Joe with a start. He looked round
each time quickly; but as the door remained quiet he did not discover
the cause of his alarm. After it had done this several times Joe
became, so to speak, desperately courageous.

"Git out wid ye!" he cried angrily on being startled again, "wasn't the
last wan all a sham? an' sure ye're the same. Go 'long in pace--an'
goodnight!"

As he said this the over-taxed man fell asleep; at the same moment a
heavy gust of wind drove the door in altogether, and dashed it down on
his head. Fortunately, being somewhat charred, the panel that struck
his helmet was driven out, so that Joe came by no greater damage than
the fright, which caused his heart to bound into his throat, for he
really believed that the ghost had got him at last!

Relieving himself of the door, which he laid on the floor lest it should
play him the same prank over again, Joe Corney once more settled himself
in the easy-chair and re