At this moment, another preternatural yell, long-toned and of the most mournful cadence, burst upon their ears, and the dismayed servants fairly tumbled over each other and sprawled and scrambled through the passage, in their haste to get away. The 'Squire followed and ordered Patrick forthwith to mount Sorrel and hasten for the priest, at the village, a mile or more away. "O Lord! your worship," cried that valiant man-of-all-work,--though aided in the day-time by two or three assistants from the village,--"O Lord! your worship! only ask me anything but that"--as, of course, on such occasions people are ready to do all but the very thing which the exigency demands,--"O Lord! your worship's honor! I couldn't for the world go round _that_ corner of the house, to get to the stable; but if Nancy here--now Nancy, darlint, I know you will, honey--if she'll only go with me, I'll run for his reverence as fast as my poor legs, that's all of a tremble, will carry me"--shrewdly reflecting, as did Nancy also, that the farther they left the house behind, they left the danger, too. This affair being hastily arranged, as the two ready messengers proceeded towards the door, a quick step was heard upon the gravel, followed by an emphatic knock, and the embodied household fell back with renewed trepidation; when fortunately who should it be but Father O'Flaherty himself, who found the 'Squire, his family, and servants all huddled together in the hall. "Good-evening to you, 'Squire," said he; "and faix, what is the matter that you all look so pale? The holy saints forbid that any ill luck has come to this house!" Again, rang echoing through the open doors and empty rooms the same portentous sound, rendered none the less terrific that its tones were partly subdued by distance. "Holy Father!" exclaimed the priest, crossing himself--"what is that? Has Satan dared to cross this blessed threshold?" Upon this, half a dozen tongues began to relate the circumstances of terrors only too manifest; but Mr. Featherston silenced them, and proposed to Father O'Flaherty to accompany him to the investigation of the mystery. Accordingly they solemnly proceeded towards the scene of alarm, the 'Squire having provided himself with a long-disused sword which hung over his mantel-piece, and the priest, more spiritually, brandishing his cross, and muttering "_Vade retro, Satanas!_" and such other exorcisms as occurred to him on the way. The whole body of the inmates of the mansion followed, closely though tremulously, upon the footsteps of the advanced guard, and, indeed, afraid to be left behind. As they reached the neighborhood of the door, whence the sounds appeared to come, there was a truly awful noise of scampering round the room and pattering, as it were, within.