ountered a dead rat, his hair literally stood on end.

He began to get nervous and uncomfortable. The night became suddenly
dark, and the wind whistled all sorts of weird tunes among the trees.
Jonah did not exactly believe in ghosts; still, if there were such
things, this was just the night and just the place for the ghost he was
looking for to take its walk abroad. He did not like it, and began to
wish he was safe at home. The bushes round him began to rustle noisily,
and a gate in the field swung to and fro with an almost human groan. He
fancied he could descry wandering lights and white gleams in the
darkness, and the vague consciousness of something coming nearer and
nearer.

At last, with a great effort, he roused himself from his moist seat, and
leaped down from the bank into the lane.

The instant his feet touched the road he was conscious of a low growl,
and next moment found himself pinned, with his back to the bank, by a
furious dog.

His yell of terror had mingled with the wind for a couple of minutes
before he became aware of the red glow of a cigar in front of him, and
behind that the dim countenance of the man whose talk with Jeffreys he
had overheard the previous evening.

"Oh, Mr Julius!" he howled; "help me. Call him off; I shall be torn to
pieces."

"And pray how come you to know the name of my dog?" said Mr Halgrove;
"eh, my little highwayman?"

"Please, sir, I'm not a highwayman. I was only looking for something on
the bank. Oh, Mr Julius!"

"My dog is not used to be called Mr," replied Mr Halgrove.

"Oh, I--I thought that was your name," whimpered Jonah, not daring to
stir an inch for fear of incurring the resentment of the dog.

"And pray how came you to think my name was Julius?" said Mr Halgrove,
becoming interested.

"Oh! please sir, wasn't it you that was talking to Jeffreys last night
in the minster yard?"

It was too dark for Jonah to see Mr Halgrove's eyebrows go up at this
unexpected question.

"Julius, come in, sir. So you know the gentleman I was speaking to
yesterday," said he, coolly. "What did you say his name was?"

"Jeffreys, sir. He's an--"

Jonah pulled up. This man, whatever his name was, was Jeffreys'
accomplice. Jonah felt he must not commit himself.

"I beg your pardon," said Mr Halgrove, noticing the abrupt pause.

"I am saying--it's--it's rather a wet night, sir," said Jonah, making a
move to walk on.

Mr Halgrove snapped his fingers to Ju