allthesethingstheCaptainbrushedasideasthoughtheynolongerinterestedhimintheleast。He，ontheotherhand，wantednowtoknowexactlywhereJeremylived，whatthehousewaslike，wherethebackdoorswere，howthewindowsopened，whereJeremyslept，andsoon。Jeremy，pleasedatthisinterestinhisdailylife，toldhimasmanythingsashecould，hopingtopassonafterwardstomoreexcitingtopics；how，forinstance，thekitchenwindowswerefastenedalwayslastthingatnight，butyoucouldundothemfromthegardenifyoulikedwithyourknife，andJeremyknewthisbecauseUncleSamuelhaddoneitonceonaSundayafternoonwhenthemaidswerealloutandhe’dforgottenhisdoorkey。HewouldhavetoldtheCaptainallabouttheschoolroomandthetoyvillageandtheJampotandthefuntheyhadhadteasingMissJoneshadnot，theCaptainfiercelytoldhimthatthesethingsdidnotinteresthim，andthathehadbetterjustanswerthequestionsthatwereputtohim。Itwasindeedstrangetoseehow，witheveryinterview，theCaptaingrewfiercerandfiercerandsharperandsharper。Hemadenoallusionsnowto“’islittlenipper，“saidnothingaboutthatholysoulhismother，andnevermentionedhislikingforJeremy。Therewasevidentlysomethingonhismind，andifhehadseemedmysteriousattheirfirstmeetingitwasnothingtothesecrecythathepractisednow。
Andyet，inspiteofallthis，hisholdoverJeremygrewandgrew。
ThatdreamofthebendingwhiteroadwasalwayswithJeremy。HecouldthinkofnothingbuttheCaptain，andwhilehewascertainlyafraidandwouldjumpattheslightestsound，hewasalsocertainlyexcitedbeyondallearlierexperience。Helonged，ashelayawakeatnight，toseetheCaptain。Heseemedtohavealwaysinfrontofhiseyesthegreatwallofachestwiththeblueshiponit，andthebolsterlegs，andthegigantichands。Strangestofallwasthesenseofevilthatcamewiththeattraction。
Helongedtobeintheman’scompanyashelongedtodosomethingthathehadbeenalwaystoldnottodo，andwhenhecaughtsightofhimasudden，hot，chokinghandwaspresseduponhisheart，andhewasterrified，delighted，frightened，ashamed，allinone。TheCaptainalwaysalludedtothethingsthathewouldtellhim，wouldshowhimoneday——“WhenyoucometomylittleplaceI’llteachyerathingortwo“——andJeremywouldwonderforhourswhatthislittleplacewouldbelikeandwhattheCaptainwouldteachhim。Meanwhile，hesawhimeverywhere，evenwhenhewasnotthere——behindlamp-
posts，atstreetcorners，behindtheoldwoman’sumbrellainthemarket-place，peeringroundthestatuesintheCathedral，jerkinguphisheadfrombehindchimneypots，lookingthroughthenurserywindowsjustwhenduskwascomingon，inthepassages，understairs，outinthedarkgarden——andalwaysbehindhimthathorriddreamofthedead-whiteroadandtheshinglyCove……Yes，poorJeremywastrulyhaunted。