Hewouldnothavestoppedthenforanythinglessnecessarythanbreath，itbeingaspectralsortofracethatheran，andonehighlydesirabletogettotheendof。Hehadastrongideathatthecoffinhehadseenwasrunningafterhim；and，picturedashoppingonbehindhim，boltupright，uponitsnarrowend，alwaysonthepointofovertakinghimandhoppingonathisside——perhapstakinghisarm——itwasapursuertoshun。Itwasaninconsistentandubiquitousfiendtoo，for，whileitwasmakingthewholenightbehindhimdreadful，hedartedoutintotheroadwaytoavoiddarkalleys，fearfulofitscominghoppingoutofthemlikeadropsicalboy\'sKitewithouttailandwings。Ithidindoorwaystoo，rubbingitshorribleshouldersagainstdoors，anddrawingthemuptoitsears，asifitwerelaughing。Itgotintoshadowsontheroad，andlaycunninglyonitsbacktotriphimup。Allthistimeitwasincessantlyhoppingonbehindandgainingonhim，sothatwhentheboygottohisowndoorliehadreasonforbeinghalfdead。Andeventhenitwouldnotleavehim，butfollowedhimupstairswithabumponeveryStair，scrambledintobedwithhim，andbumpeddown，deadandheavy，onhisbreastwhenhefellasleep。
Fromhisoppressedslumber，YoungJerryinhisclosetwasawakenedafterdaybreakandbeforesunrise，bythepresenceofhisfatherinthefamilyroom。Somethinghadgonebongwithhim；atleast，soYoungJerryinferred，fromthecircumstanceofhisholdingMrs。Cruncherbytheears，andknockingthebackofherheadagainsttheheadboardofthebed。
`ItoldyouIwould，\'saidMr。Cruncher，`andIdid。\'
`Jerry，Jerry，Jerry!\'hiswifeimplored。
`Youopposeyourselftotheprofitofthebusiness，\'saidJerry，`andmeandmypartnerssuffer。Youwastohonourandobey；whythedevildon\'tyou?\'