Somehow Jan's presence carried reassurance with it to most people. Mrs. Hook was contented. "Is Ally not come in yet?" asked she.
"Come in, and downstairs," replied Jan. "Good-night. Now," said he to Alice, when he returned to the kitchen, "you go on to bed and get to sleep; and don't get dreaming of ghosts and goblins."
They were turning out at the door, the clergyman and Jan, when the girl flew to them in a fresh attack of terror.
"I daren't be left alone," she gasped. "Oh, stop a minute! Pray stop, till I be gone upstairs."
"Here," said Jan, making light of it. "I'll marshal you up."
He held the candle, and the girl flew up the stairs as fast as young Cheese had flown from the ghost. Her breath was panting, her bosom throbbing. Jan blew out the candle, and he and Mr. Bourne departed, merely shutting the door. Labourers' cottages have no fear of midnight robbers.
"What do you think now?" asked Mr. Bourne, as they moved along.
Jan looked at him. "You are not thinking, surely, that it is Fred Massingbird's ghost!"
"No. But I should advise Mr. Verner to place a watch, and have the thing cleared up—who it is, and what it is."
"Why, Mr. Verner?"