“Be done with all this nonsense!” snapped Aunt Charlotte brusquely.  “Come, I can’t stand here all day.  Just tell me exactly what took place—­why you woke up, and what you saw, and everything about it you remember.”

“Dear auntie, I don’t want you to stand there all day; in fact I’d much rather you didn’t stand there a minute longer, because I want to get up,” Austin assured her earnestly.  “I awoke because I had a horrid dream, caused by the cold which in its turn was produced by my being left with nothing on.  And I didn’t see anything, for the simple reason that the room was as dark as pitch.  Is there anything else you want to know?”

“Yes, there is.  Everything that you haven’t told me,” said the uncompromising aunt.

“Very well, then,” said Austin, leaning upon his elbow and looking her full in the face.  “But on one condition only—­that you believe every word I say.”

“Of course, Austin, I should never dream of doubting your good faith,” replied Aunt Charlotte.  “But don’t romance.  Now then.”

“It’s very simple, after all,” began Austin.  “Just as I was getting into bed a strange noise, like a shower of little raps, broke out all around me.  It went on for nearly five minutes, and I was listening all the time and trying to find out what it was and where it came from.  At the moment I had no clue, but now I fancy I can guess.  Those raps were warnings.  They—­the rappers—­were trying to prevent me getting into bed.  They didn’t succeed, of course, and so, just as the ceiling was on the point of giving way, they compelled me to get out of bed by pulling all the clothes off.  If they hadn’t, I should have been half killed.  Now, what do you make of that?”

“I knew it must be some nonsense of the sort!” exclaimed Aunt Charlotte, in her most vigorous tones.  “Raps, indeed!  I never heard such twaddle.  Of course I don’t doubt your word, but it’s clear enough that you dreamt the whole thing.  You always were a dreamer, Austin, and you’re getting worse than ever.  I don’t believe you know half the time whether you’re asleep or awake.”

“Did I dream that?” asked Austin, pointing to the bedclothes as they hung.

“You dragged them there in your sleep, of course,” retorted Aunt Charlotte triumphantly.  “I see the whole thing now.  You had a dream, you kicked the clothes off in your sleep, and then you got out of bed, still in your sleep——­”

“I didn’t do anything of the sort,” interrupted Austin.  “I was wide awake the whole time.  You see, auntie, I was here and you weren’t, so I ought to know something about it.”

“It’s no use arguing with you,” replied Aunt Charlotte, loftily.  “It’s a clear case of sleep-walking—­as clear as any case I ever heard of.  And then all that nonsense about raps!  Of course, if you heard anything at all—­which I only half believe—­it was something beginning to give way in the roof.  There!  It only requires a little common-sense, you see, to explain the whole affair.  And now, my dear——­”