Then the Gentleman went on with his Story in this wise: That the next
Night he with his Companion went to Bed in the same Room, in which
they had been so terribly frighten'd; that they had not taken their
first Nap, before they heard an uncouth Noise under them; that his
Companion was shortly after seized violently and forcibly by the
great Toe, and in great Danger of being pulled out of the Bed; but
that upon the Beating of the Drum, which happen'd at the same
Instant, his Toe was released; and that to prevent any future
Attacks, they hoisted their Knees up to their very Noses; the Noise
still growing louder, they felt a most prodigious Weight on them,
heavier, as he said, than the _Night-Mare_; that by his Voice they
presently discovered it to be one of their Brethren, who had come
into their Room on purpose to scare them; either believing that they
had told him a Fib, or that they were under such potent Influences
the Night before, as made them imagine they heard a Drum, when in
Reality they did not; But mark, said the Relater to me; according to
the old Proverb, _Harm watch Harm catch_; for he was so frighted
himself, that he would not have ventured back to his own Room, though
he were sure to be made a Bishop; so that we were obliged to share
our Bed with him, in which we lay sweating, and almost dead with
Fear, 'till Morning. Thus he concluded his surprizing Relation,
which wrought so strongly on me, that I could no longer Doubt of the
_D ------ l_'s having plaid them this Prank; and to this Story only
my Timorousness is owing.
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