Page:Doctor Syn - A Smuggler Tale of the Romney Marsh.djvu/145

 A TERRIBLE INVESTIGATION

HE captain was not long in tumbling into his clothes. Meantime, the sexton sat upon the bed, which neither of the other two seemed to think extraordinary or even familiar. The captain now and then addressed a sharp question to the Doctor, which the Doctor did not answer, nor indeed did the captain seem to expect an answer. The Doctor was standing by the window, his gray hair blowing in the stiff sea breeze that filled the room. Suddenly they heard a little shaking noise upon the bed, and, turning, perceived the little sexton, with the tears rolling down his cheeks, given up to the most ungovernable laughter, and yet it was not laughter, for the sexton made no noise. He just let his body quiver and heave and the tears roll on over his thin cheeks. Yes, he was lost in a fit of unmanageable giggles.

"What the thunder's amusing you?" roared the captain; and he hurled the bolster at the sexton's head.

Mipps was himself again upon the instant. "Blessed if I knows," he gasped, "but thank you