David, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Fox, came to visit his
parents from his farm about three miles distant. Mrs. Fox then first
recounted to him the particulars of the annoyances they had endured; for
until now they had been little disposed to communicate these to any one.
He listened to her with a smiling face. "Well mother," he said, "I
advise you not to say a word about it to the neighbours. When you find
it out it will be one of the simplest things in the world." And in that
belief he returned to his own home.

Wearied out by a succession of sleepless nights and of fruitless
attempts to penetrate the mystery, the Fox family retired on that Friday
evening very early to rest, hoping for a respite from the disturbances
that harassed them. But they were doomed to disappointment. The parents
had had the children's beds removed into their own bedroom, and strictly
enjoined them not to talk of the noises even if they heard them. But
scarcely had the mother seen them safely in bed, and was retiring to
rest herself, when the children cried out "Here they are again." The
mother chid them and lay down, but as though in rebuke of her apparent
indifference, they were on this occasion louder and more pertinacious
than ever. Rest was impossible. The children kept up a continuous
chatter, sitting up in bed to listen to the sounds. Mr. Fox tried the
windows and doors, to discover, if possible, the source of the
annoyance. The night being windy it suggested itself to him that it
might be the sashes rattling, but all in vain; the raps continued and
were evidently answering the noise occasioned by the father shaking the
windows, as if in mockery.

At length the youngest child, Kate--who in her guileless innocence had
become familiar with the invisible knocker, until she was more amused
than alarmed at its presence--merrily exclaimed: "Here, Mr. Split-foot,
do as I do." The effect was instantaneous: the invisible rapper
responded by imitating the number of her movements. She then made a
given number of motions with her finger and thumb in the air, but
without noise, and her astonishment was re-doubled to find that these
movements were seen by the invisible rapper, for a corresponding number
of knocks were immediately given to her noiseless motions, whilst from
her lips as though but in childish jest and transport at her new
discovery there sprang to life the words which revealed the sublimest
Spiritual Truth of modern times: "Only look mothe