After all this, the ghost decided that he could never frighten this rude American family. So instead he spent most of his time going quietly about the passages in slippers, with a thick red scarf round his throat so he wouldn't get a cold. He carried an old-fashioned pistol, in case he was attacked by the twins.

On the 19th of September something happened which made the ghost give up completely. He had gone downstairs to the entrance-hall.

He felt sure sure that no-one would disturb him there. He spent a few minutes writing rude things on the large photographs of the United States Ambassador and his wife, which were now on the walls instead of pictures of the Canterville family.

The ghost was dressed in the kind of cloth that is wrapped around a dead body. He had tied up his jaw with some yellow cloth, and carried a candle and a spade. In fact, he was dressed as a man who stole dead bodies. It one of his best disguises.

The Cantervilles knew this, because it had caused them to have a terrible fight with their neighbour, Lord Rufford. That night the time was about a quarter past two o'clock in the morning. The ghost thought that no-one in the house was awake.

He walked towards the library to see if anything could still be seen of the blood-stain which he put there. Suddenly two people jumped out at him from a dark corner. They moved their arms above their heads in a frightening way, and shouted 'BOO!' in his ear.