We heard that you had been killed by those tramps, and you looked and acted enough like a ghost to be one!" "A ghost, is it ?" said Barney, glancing about as if he did not like even the thought.

"Thot ould witch wor kapin' me hid away from the officers in thot wee bit av a house roight behind the three over there, and all the ixercoise Oi could git wor whin Oi could shlip out av noights and walk round and swally a brith av fresh air.

Oi t'ought Oi had kilt the thramp and thot the officers wor watchin' for me! Thot ould divil hilped me to believe thot hersilf! So whin Oi heard yez call, av coorse Oi worn't goin' to sthop and be arristed.

A ghost, is it?
Oi'm thinkin' thot yez'd be crapin' round, too, if yez t'ought thot a rope wor riddy to toighten about the neck av yez!" * * * * * "Haw! haw! haw!" The roars did not proceed from Joe Gamp, but from the landlord of the hotel.

Now that Barney was found to be real flesh and blood, and not a spirit, the landlord had entered more heartily into the search for the mysterious source of the strange footsteps.