forth. It was that of an old, old man; with steel-gray eyes, hair and
beard, and a horrible necklace of jaw-bones.

Now, issuing from the pagoda, Mohi turned about to gain a view of the
ghost he had raised; and no sooner did he behold it, than with King
Media and the rest, he made a marked salutation.

Presently, the eremite pointed to where Yoomy was standing; and waved
his hand upward; when Mohi informed the minstrel, that it was St.
Stylites' pleasure, that he should pay him a visit.

Wondering what was to come, Yoomy proceeded to mount; and at last
arriving toward the top of the pagoda, was met by an opening, from
which an encouraging arm assisted him to gain the ultimate landing.

Here, all was murky enough; for the aperture from which the head of
the apparition had been thrust, was now closed; and what little
twilight there was, came up through the opening in the floor.

In this dismal seclusion, silently the hermit confronted the minstrel;
his gray hair, eyes, and beard all gleaming, as if streaked with
phosphorus; while his ghastly gorget grinned hideously, with all its
jaws.

Mutely Yoomy waited to be addressed; but hearing no sound, and
becoming alive to the strangeness of his situation, he meditated
whether it would not be well to subside out of sight, even as he had
come--through the floor. An intention which the eremite must have
anticipated; for of a sudden, something was slid over the opening; and
the apparition seating itself thereupon, the twain were in darkness