of the Yew-lane Ghost.

When it was finished, the gardener, who was behind Master Arthur, said--

"I've heard something of this, sir, in the village," and then added more
which Bill could not hear.

"Eh, what?" said Master Arthur. "Willie, take the machine and drive
about the garden a bit wherever you like.--Now John."

Willie did not at all like being sent away at this interesting point.
Another time he would have enjoyed driving over the short grass, and
seeing it jump up like a little green fountain in front of him; but now
his whole mind was absorbed by the few words he caught at intervals of
the conversation going on between John and the young gentleman. What
could it mean? Mr. Bartram seemed to have awakened to extraordinary
energy, and was talking rapidly. Bill heard the words "lime-light" and
"large sheet," and thought they must be planning a magic-lantern
exhibition, but was puzzled by catching the word "turnip." At last, as
he was rounding the corner of the bed of geraniums, he distinctly heard
Mr. Bartram ask,--

"They cut the man's head off, didn't they?"

Then they were talking about the ghost, after all! Bill gave the machine
a jerk, and to his dismay sliced a branch off one of the geraniums. What
was to be done? He must tell Master Arthur, but he could not interrupt
him just now; so on he drove, feeling very much dispirited, and by no
means cheered by hearing shouts of laughter from the party on the grass.
When one is puzzled and out of spirits, it is no consolation to hear
other people laughing over a private joke; moreover, Bill felt that if
they were still on the subject of the murdered man and his ghost, their
merriment was very unsuitable: Whatever was going on, it was quite
evident that Mr. Bartram was the leading spirit of it, for Bill could
see Master Arthur waving the one-legged donkey in an ecstasy, as he
clapped his friend on the back till the eye-glass danced upon his nose.
At last Mr. Bartram threw himself back as if closing a discussion, and
said loud enough for Bill to hear--

"You never heard of a bully who wasn't a coward."

Bill thought of Bully Tom, and how he had said he dared not risk the
chance of meeting with a ghost, and began to think that this was a
clever young gentleman, after all. Just then Master Arthur called to
him, and he took the bit of broken geranium and went.

"Oh, Willie!" said Master Arthur, "we've been talking over your
misfortunes--geranium? fiddlesticks!