Page:Doctor Syn - A Smuggler Tale of the Romney Marsh.djvu/172

 at him hard, though don't let it put you off your feed, Jerry. Why, at your age I had just such notions as you've got, but then I never had your advantages. Why, at thirteen years of age I was as growed up in my fancies as this Jerk. Sweetmeats to devil, eh, Jerry?, for it's some who grows above such garbage from their first rocking in the cradle. This Jerry Jerk is a man; why, bless you, he's more a man than lots of 'em what thinks they be. Aye, more a man than some of 'em wot's a-doin' man's work."

"That's so," said Mrs. Waggetts, enthusiastically backing the sexton up. "And don't you forget that he owns a bit of land on the Marsh, and so he's a Marshman proper."

"I doesn't forget it," said Mipps, "and I've been tellin' certain folk wot had, how things were goin' with Hangman Jerk, and I've made 'em see that although only a child in regard to age, he ain't no child in his deeds, and so they agreed with me, Missus Waggetts, that it 'ud be unjust not to let him have full Marshman's privileges; and I'll go bail that Jerk won't disgrace me by not livin' up to them privileges."

"P'raps I won't, Mister Sexton, when I knows what them privileges are."

"You listen and I'll tell you," answered the sexton. "And listen well, Jerry," added Mrs. Waggetts, "for what Mister Mipps is a-goin' to say will like as not be the makin' of you."