Page:Doctor Syn - A Smuggler Tale of the Romney Marsh.djvu/205

 collection of weird names had been rammed into Jerk's brains that he felt quite overpowered. However, when his own particular uniform was produced for him to don, his interests were requickened, and before Mipps had half finished attiring him in the strange rags Jerk would have sworn that it wasn't himself he saw in the old cracked mirror.

"And now, Jack Ketch," said Mipps, "you only has to follow me into the coffin shop to get your allowance of devil's face cream, then I thinks you'll feel real pleased with yourself."

Into the weird coffin shop accordingly Jerry followed the sexton, and there was that black cauldron that he remembered so well. Now he would discover its use, Mipps stirred the contents and with a great brush began daubing Jerry's face. The curious smell made the youngster close his eyes and he felt the brush pass over them.

"Now," said the sexton, "I blows out the candles and you shall see." Jerry opened his eyes as the sexton blew out the lights. "Bring in the mirror!" called the sexton to the other room. And then into the coffin shop came the other members of the company, and the mystery of the demon riders was explained, for in the dark room each diabolical face glistened like the moon, and when the cracked mirror had been held up before him he saw that he in his turn burned with the same hell-fire. "It's now time, Satan, to get the scarecrow in,