the lock, or rather had made an ineffectual attempt to do so, when
suddenly the candle was extinguished, and a horrible blast on the fish
horn resounded through the garret.

Now, Abner Holden was not a very courageous man. In fact, he was
inclined to superstition. He knew that he was engaged in a dishonorable
attempt to rob a boy who was placed in his charge, and there is an old
proverb that says "conscience makes cowards of us all." It must be
admitted that it was rather calculated to affect the nerves to find
one's self suddenly in the dark, and at the same time to hear such a
fearful noise proceeding from an unknown quarter.

Abner Holden jumped to his feet in dire dismay, and, without stopping to
reflect on the probable cause of this startling interruption, "struck a
bee line" for the staircase, and descended quicker, probably, than he
had ever done before, narrowly escaping tumbling the entire distance, in
his headlong haste.

Herbert had to stuff the bedclothes into his mouth to keep from bursting
into a shout of laughter, which would have revealed his agency in
producing the mysterious noise.

"I thought I heard a frightful noise last night soon after I went to
bed," said Mrs. Bickford, at the breakfast table. "Didn't you hear
anything, Mr. Holden?"

"No," said Abner, "I heard nothing. You were probably dreaming."

"Perhaps I was. Didn't you hear anything, Herbert?"