came to live in it. At length, one family came to try and
see how it would suit them, but they very soon gave up; and then another
and another rented the farm, and tried to stop in the tower, but they
could not stand the sights they saw, or the sounds they heard, and threw
it up, one after the other. At last my good man and I came here. We
were told before what we were to expect, and so we made up our minds for
the worst. Well, the very first night we came, as we were sitting here
at supper, just as we may be now, we heard the ghosts of the family to
whom the tower had belonged all talking away below us. Sometimes it was
an old man's voice, then a young girl's, and then the voice of a strong
man of middle age, and then a youth, maybe, like yourself, and young
children. It was curious to hear them go on in that way. We could not
make out what they said exactly, but there was a change in the tone of
their voices, just as clearly as if they had been in the room with us.
As to sights, I cannot say that we saw any thing; and I'm not ashamed to
confess it, neither my good man nor I felt inclined to go into the
chamber below, to have a look at the ghosts. They went on talking for
some hours, till we heard them scuffling off to bed, so it seemed, and
we therefore followed their example. This went on, as I say, night
after night. I need not tell you what we saw when we did see any thing,
but I will just advise you to be prepared, should you hear any strange
noises; and provided you don't go and interfere with the ghosts, depend
upon it they will let you alone."

"Thank you," answered Jack, "for the advice. I never yet have met a
ghost, though maybe I shall some day, and if I do I intend to treat it
with all due respect."

"You had better treat the ghosts here in that way," observed Burdale,
with a peculiar glance at Jack; "I have heard of them before, and I am
sure they would not like any one to interfere with them."

"Oh, yes," said the old woman, "we have ghosts inside the house and out
of it too. Did you mark that big old oak, as you rode up to the door?
They say there's a ghost lives inside it, of some man who was murdered
under its branches years gone by. How he do groan at night sometimes!
It has been the same ever since we came here. At first I could not
sleep for listening to him, and thinking what a pain he was in: just
like the pains of souls in purgatory." This remark made Jack suspect
that his hosts