Page:Doctor Syn - A Smuggler Tale of the Romney Marsh.djvu/297

 and sensible fellow by handing over that blue paper that is sticking out of your pocket with my death written thereon."

"No. I'll be damned"

"If you don't there will be such a nasty mess for Mister Mipps to clear up in that pew!"

A man stepped from the choir and snatched the blue paper from the captain and handed it to Doctor Syn.

"Thank you, my man!" said the cleric, taking it. "And now for my farewell. You are all of you in this church in eminent peril. The place is surrounded by redcoats who are in danger of being badly hurt when the fight comes, and all in this church are in danger of me being caught by the redcoats, and being obliged to turn King's evidence against you all to save my life. I should be very loath to do such a dirty thing, so you had better persuade our friend the captain to let me go quietly."

Doctor Syn deliberately thrust both his pistols beneath his black gown; at the same moment the captain sprang at the pulpit, but was knocked over with a violent blow from the brass candlestick that Doctor Syn had snatched from the pulpit socket. The sailors clambered out of their pew, but were met with a volley of hymn-books and hassocks from the sea salts in the choir. One or two pistols flashed, and in a second the entire church was a writhing, fighting mass of men. The women screamed and were trodden down as the