The gentleman was not at all like his friend ("nothing near so handsome," Bill reported at home), and he had such a large prominent forehead that he looked as if he were bald.

When he sat up, he suddenly screwed up his eyes in a very peculiar way, pulled out a double gold eye-glass, fixed it on his nose, and stared through it for a second; after which his eyes unexpectedly opened to their full extent (they were not small ones), and took a sharp survey of Bill over the top of his spectacles; and this ended, he lay back on his elbow without speaking.

Bill then and there decided that Mr.Bartram was very proud, rather mad, and the most disagreeable gentleman he ever saw; and he felt sure could see as well as he (Bill) could, and only wore spectacles out of a peculiar kind of pride and vain-glory which he could not exactly specify.
Master Arthur seemed to think, at any rate, that he was not very civil, and began at once to talk to the boy himself.
"Why were you not at school last time, Willie?
couldn't your mother spare you ?" "Yes, Sir." "Then why didn't you come ?" said Master Arthur, in evident astonishment.
Poor Bill! He stammered as he had stammered before the doctor, and finally gasped-- "Please, Sir, I was scared." "Scared?
What of ?" "Ghosts," murmured Bill in a very ghostly whisper.

Mr.Bartram raised himself a little.

Master Arthur seemed confounded.
"Why, you little goose! How is it you never were afraid before ?" "Please, Sir, I saw one the other night." Mr.Bartram took another look over the top of his eye-glass and sat bolt upright, and John Gardener stayed his machine and listened, while poor Bill told the whole story of the Yew-lane Ghost.
When it was finished, the gardener, who was behind Master Arthur, said-- "I've heard something of this, Sir, in the village," and then added more which Bill could not hear.
"Eh, what ?" said Master Arthur.