Mrs. Fox was not a nervous woman ordinarily, but she was undeniably
frightened at the unexpected sound.
"Heavens and earth, what's that?" she ejaculated, and dropping our
hero's clothes, retreated in disorder, almost stumbling downstairs in
her precipitate flight. Dashing into the chamber where Mr. Fox was
waiting for her, she sank into a chair, gasping for breath.
"Good gracious, Maria, what's the matter?" exclaimed her husband,
gazing at her in astonishment.
"I--don't--know," she gasped.
"You look as if you had seen a ghost."
"I haven't seen anything," said his wife, recovering her breath, "but
I've heard something terrible. It's my belief the attic is haunted. I
went upstairs and put back the wallet, and was looking to see if I
could find another, when all at once the candle went out, and a
terrible noise shook the chamber."
"What was it like, Mrs. F.?"
"I can't tell you. I never heard anything like it before. All I know
is, I wouldn't go up there again tonight for anything."
"Did the boy sleep through it all?"
"How can I tell? The candle was out."
"Perhaps he blew it out."
"Perhaps you're a fool Mr. Fox. It wasn't near the bed, and he was
fast asleep, for I looked at him. It made me think of--of Peter," and
Mrs.
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