might be suspected of being afraid. Now, you know, it is not a little,
frightens me at school, but I was greatly puzzled at all I heard, and
determined I would rally my courage. After dinner, we strolled out to
take a look at the proposed purchase. Papa was very much pleased with
all he saw. House, grounds, and prospect were, he said, all he could
wish, and not even the report of a ghost, did he consider, any
disadvantage, but quite the contrary, as he certainly would never else
be able to buy it for double the sum they now asked for it.

By the time we got back to the inn, Mrs. Davis, our landlady, had
learnt the purport of our visit, and we, consequently, found her in
great consternation. We had hardly entered, than she exclaimed:--

"Why surely, Sir, you are not going to buy Castle Hill? Why it is
haunted, as sure as my name is Peggy Davis!"

"Well, my dear madam," said Papa, "haunted or not, such is my present
intention."

"Why, sir, nobody can live there. Don't you know there's a ghost seen
there every night."

"Oh," replied papa, "we shall soon, I think, send the ghost off
packing."

"Send a ghost off packing! really, sir, you must pardon me, but you
are a strange gentleman. Dear! dear! why do you know that four or five
have tried to live there and couldn't, for the ghost wouldn't let 'em.
You may laugh, but it's a real truth, that it drove every mother's son
away; yes not one of them could stay."