_Snore--snort--yawn_. "Can't tell, massa," replied the negro domestic, who was thus roused from his lair in the piazza, "but I will go see de sound, what it is, massa." "You will," thought I, as I heard him groping and grumbling all about--"What naise is dat?--my fader--what a knock my nose take again dat post him--mi say, what naise dat is?" quoth Quashie, more than half asleep--"Nobody hanswer? Me say de tird time, what naise, eh?" I had gathered myself into bed the best way I could, but the owl continued his gyrations round and round the room, and here gave another _screech_. "Ha," said Jinker, "creech howl, massa--creech howl." "Screech owl!" rejoined Mr Cornstick, for it was he who had spoken; "how the deuce can a screech owl upset chairs, smash the crockery, and make such an infernal to do as that? Get a light, sir." All this while I was like to choke with laughter. "Jinker," said I, "bring a light here, and don't alarm the family. Tell Mr Cornstick it is only an owl that has got, I can't tell how, into my room--nothing more." I heard Mr Cornstick laugh at this, and say a word of comfort to Mrs Cornstick, as I supposed, and she again began to console a _wee skirling_ Cornstick, that I concluded was their bedfellow, and then shut the door. Creak--another door opened--"Diana!" said Miss Cornstick, in great alarm--"Good gracious! what is _all_ that, Diana?" "Noting, misses, but one fight between de leetle sailor buccra and one howl." "So, here's a mess! The whole Cornstick family--men, women, and children--set alive and kicking in the dead of night, by me and my uninvited visitor!" Presently Jinker appeared with a lighted candle, but by this time the owl was nowhere to be seen. "How him get away, massa? I no see him." No more did I. We continued our search. "Him cannot possib have creep troo de keyhole." "I should rather think not," said I; "but there he was, perched up in that corner, when I first saw him. He was sitting on that very shelf. Where the deuce can the creature have stowed himself?" "Shelf!" said the negro; "shelf! What shelf, massa?" "That one there; isn't it a shelf?" "Shelf! O no, massa, it is de gutter dat lead de rain from de roof of de house dat come along here under de eaves of de shingle, you know, and den pour him into one larsh barrel outside; but tap"----Here Jinker got on the table, to inspect the lay of the land more perfectly. "Ah, I see; he hab come in and go out troo de guttering, sure enough"--(a square uncovered trough). "He must have nest hereabout, massa." "But how shall we _keep_ him out," said I, "now since he is out?" "Tap, I shall show you. Give me up one on dem towel, please, massa. I will tuff him into de hole till daybroke." "Indeed, but you shall not do _that_ thing; none of your stopping the gutter. Why, only suppose it should rain in the night, Snowball--eh? Would it not overflow, my beauty? You don't want to drown me, do you?"