“It wasn’t a rat, nor it wasn’t a howl, as I see,” said Peter solemnly; “but something gashly horrid, as looked down at me from up in the rafters of that there dark place, and it made me feel that bad that I didn’t seem to have no legs to stand on.”
“Tchah!” cried the gardener. “What yer talking about?”
“Anything the matter?” said the doctor, who had come up unheard over the velvety lawn.
“Hush!” whispered Peter imploringly.
“Shan’t hush. Sarves you right,” growled Dan’l. “Here’s Peter, sir, just seen a ghost.”
“Ah! has he?” said the doctor. “Where did you see it, Peter?”
“I didn’t say it were a ghost, sir, I only said as I see something horrid up at end of the old loft when I went up there just now after a squir’l.”
“Squirrel!” said the doctor angrily. “What are you talking about, man? Squirrels live in trees, not in old lofts. You mean a rat.”
“I know a squir’l when I see one, sir,” said Peter; “and I see one go ’crost the yard and into that old stable.”
“Nonsense!” said the doctor.