Page:Doctor Syn - A Smuggler Tale of the Romney Marsh.djvu/173

 "I will listen most certainly," replied Jerk, "so soon as Mister Mipps gets on with it. I'm all agog to listen, but there's no use in listenin' afore he begins, is there now?"

"Jerry," said the sexton, "you're just one after my own heart. You ought to have lived in my days, when I was a lad. Gone to sea and got amongst the interestin' gentlemen like I did. Aye, they was interestin'. And reckless they was, too. They was rough—none rougher; but I don't grudge 'em all the kicks they give me. Why, it made a man o' me, young Jerk. I tell you, Master Jerry, that bad as them sea adventurers was, and bad they was—my eye—yes, buccaneers, pirates, and all the rest of it—but bad as they was they did some good, for they made a man o' me, Jerry. I should never have been the sort o' man I is now if them ruffians hadn't kindly knocked the nonsense out o' me."

"Shouldn't you, though?" said Jerry.

"Never, never!" said the sexton with conviction. "But mind you," he went on, "you has advantages wot I never had. I had to learn all the tricks o' my trade, and I had to buy my experience. There was no kind friend to teach me my tricks o' trade, no benevolent old cove wot 'ud pay for my experience. No, I had to buy and learn for myself, but, my stars and garters! afore they'd done with me I had 'em all scared o' me. Even England hisself didn't a-relish my tantrums; and