mizen-top. Presently, however, he came back, trembling, and almost
tumbling to the bottom, declaring that he had seen 'Old Davy,' aft the
cross-trees; moreover, that the Evil One had a huge head and face, with
pricked ears, and eyes as bright as fire. Two or three others were sent
up in succession; to all of whom the apparition glared forth, and was
identified by each to be 'Old Davy, sure enough.' The mate, in a rage,
at length mounted himself; when resolutely, as in the former case,
searching for the bugbear, he soon ascertained the innocent cause of so
much terror to be a large horned owl, so lodged as to be out of sight to
those who ascended on the other side of the vessel, but which when any
one approached the cross-trees, popped up his portentous visage to see
what was coming. The mate brought him down in triumph, and 'Old Davy,'
the owl, became a very peaceable shipmate among the crew, who were no
longer scared by his horns and eyes; for sailors turn their backs on
nothing when they know what it is. Had the birds, in these two
instances, departed as they came, of course they would have been deemed
supernatural visitants to the respective ships, by all who had heard the
one or seen the other." W.G.C.

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THE GATHERER


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_Hard Duty._--As a gentleman's coachman washed his master's carriage
during divine service on Sunday morning, he was heard to say that "he