when they galloped at each other with big
clothes-prop things, and one of 'em was knocked off his horse, and lay
flat on the ground, he couldn't get up again without his squires to help
him."

"You never read that."

"Well, no, but Vane Lee did. He told me all about it. I suppose, then,
you're ready to believe that the church-tower's haunted?"

"I don't say that," said Macey, "but it does seem very strange."

"Oh, yes, of course it does," said Gilmore mockingly. "Depend upon it
there was a tiny chap with a cloth cap, ending in a point sitting up on
the timbers among the bells with a big hammer in his hands, and he was
pounding away at the bell till he saw us coming, and then off he went,
hammer and all."

"I didn't say I believed that," said Macey; "but I do say it's very
strange."

"Well, good-night, Syme," said the doctor, who had halted at the turning
leading up to the rectory front door. "It is very curious, but I can't
help thinking that it was all a prank played by some of the town lads to
annoy the sexton. Well, Vane, my boy, ready for bed once more?"

Vane started out of a musing fit and said good-night to his tutor and
fellow-pupils to walk back with his uncle.

"I can't puzzle it out, Vane. I can't puzzle it out," the doctor said,
and the nephew shivered, for fear that the old gentleman should turn
upon him suddenly and say, "Can you?"

But no such question was asked, for the doctor began to talk about
different little mysteries which he had met with in his career, all of
which had had matter-of-fact explanations that came in time, and then
they reached the house, to find a light in the breakfast-room, where
Aunt Hannah was dressed, and had prepared some coffee for them.

"Oh, I have been so anxious," she cried. "Whose place is burned?"

"No one's," said the doctor, cheerily; and then he related their
experience.

"I'm very thankful it's no worse," said Aunt Hannah. "Some scamps of
boys must have had a string tied to the bell, I suppose."

Poor old lady, she seemed to think of the great tenor bell in the old
tower as if it were something which could easily be swung by hand.

They did not sit long; and, ill at ease, and asking himself whether he
was going to turn into a disingenuous cowardly cur, Vane gladly sought
his chamber once more to sit down on the edge of his bed, and ponder
over his day's experience.

"It must have been through leaving out those two wheels," he muttered,
"th