Page:Doctor Syn - A Smuggler Tale of the Romney Marsh.djvu/105

 "You keep your mouth shut, my man, till you're questioned," sang out one of the attorneys sharply.

"I'll keep my mouth shut for nobody but squire and Doctor Syn," retorted the sexton, "and in your future remarks don't 'my man' me, please. I ain't your man, and it's mighty pleased I am I ain't."

When ordered to give an account of what had happened on the previous night, he obstinately refused to open his mouth until they had removed to the other side of the room the two sailors who were guarding the witness box. "For," said he, "I can't abide the look or the smell of 'em; they fair turns me up."

This caused much laughter among the villagers, and indeed the little sexton was so ready with his scathing remarks at the expense of the lawyers that in order to preserve their dignity they were obliged to stand him down.

"Have I now your permission to go back to my measuring," said Mipps, producing his footrule, "or will any more advice from me be required?"

The lawyers tartly observed that he had been little or no use at all, and turned to the next witness.

After the schoolmaster had been called upon to bear out certain points of evidence, the three hours' useless palaver came to a conclusion, the attorneys agreeing with Doctor Syn that Sennacherib Pepper had been murdered by the mulatto, and that as soon as he was taken he would get swift trial and short shrift;