"Did you ever go, Granny?"

"Once, very nearly, my dear."

"Oh! tell us, Granny dear.--There are no Corpse-candles, Johnnie; it's
only moonlight," he added consolingly, as Johnnie crept closer to his
knee, and pricked his little red ears.

"It was when your grandfather was courting me, my dears," said the old
lady, "and I couldn't quite make up my mind. So I went to my mother,
and said, 'He's this on the one side, but then he's that on the other,
and so on. Shall I say yes or no?' And my mother said, 'The Old Owl
knows;' for she was fairly puzzled. So says I, 'I'll go and ask her
to-night, as sure as the moon rises.'

"So at moon-rise I went, and there in the white light by the gate stood
your grandfather. 'What are you doing here at this time o' night?' says
I. 'Watching your window,' says he. 'What are _you_ doing here at this
time o' night?' 'The Old Owl knows,' said I, and burst out
crying."

"What for?" said Johnnie.

"I can't rightly tell you, my dear," said the old lady, "but it gave me
such a turn to see him. And without more ado your grandfather kissed
me. 'How dare you?' said I. 'What do you mean?' 'The Old Owl knows,'
said he. So we never went."

"How stupid!" said Tommy.