He opened the shutter and found the knot.

'Now then,' thought he, 'here is something I cannot explain on my principles!'" Indeed the occurrence is not very explicable on any principles, as a detail not visible without search was sought and verified, and that by a habitual mocker at anything out of the common way.

For example, Hone published a comic explanation, correct or not, of the famous Stockwell mystery.
Supposing Hone's story to be true, it naturally conducts us to yet more unfamiliar, and therefore less credible dreams, in which the unknown past, present, or future is correctly revealed..