out a mug o' hot toddy, and give her: but ye see her bein' there
sort o' stopped the conversation; for she sot there a-rockin' back'ards
and for'ards, a-sippin her toddy, and a-mutterin', and lookin' up
chimbley.

"Cap'n Eb says in all his born days he never hearn such screeches
and yells as the wind give over that chimbley; and old Cack got so
frightened, you could fairly hear his teeth chatter.

"But Cap'n Eb he was a putty brave man, and he wa'n't goin' to have
conversation stopped by no woman, witch or no witch; and so, when he see
her mutterin', and lookin' up chimbley, he spoke up, and says he, 'Well,
Ketury, what do you see?' says he. 'Come, out with it; don't keep it to
yourself.' Ye see Cap'n Eb was a hearty fellow, and then he was a leetle
warmed up with the toddy.

"Then he said he see an evil kind o' smile on Ketury's face, and she
rattled her necklace o' bones and snakes' tails; and her eyes seemed to
snap; and she looked up the chimbley, and called out, 'Come down, come
down! let's see who ye be.'

"Then there was a scratchin' and a rumblin' and a groan; and a pair
of feet come down the chimbley, and stood right in the middle of
the haarth, the toes pi'ntin' out'rds, with shoes and silver buckles
a-shin-in' in the firelight. Cap'n Eb says he never come so near bein'
scared in his life; and, as to old Cack, he jest wilted right down in
his chair.

"Then old Ketury got up, and reached her stick up chimbley, and called
out louder, 'Come down, come down! let's see who ye be.' And, sure
enough, down came a pair o' legs, and j'ined right on to the feet: good
fair legs they was, with ribbed stockings and leather breeches.

"'Wal, we're in for it now,' says Cap'n Eb. 'Go it, Ketury, and let's
have the rest on him.'

"Ketury didn't seem to mind him: she stood there as stiff as a stake,
and kep' callin' out, 'Come down, come down! let's see who ye be.' And
then come down the body of a man with a brown coat and yellow vest, and
j'ined right on to the legs; but there wa'n't no arms to it. Then Ketury
shook her stick up chimbley, and called, '_Come down, come down!_' And
there came down a pair o' arms, and went on each side o' the body; and
there stood a man all finished, only there wa'n't no head on him.

"'Wal, Ketury,' says Cap'n Eb, 'this 'ere's getting serious. I 'spec'
you must finish him up, and let's see what he wants of us.'

"Then Ketury called out once more, louder'n ever, 'Come down, come down!