Page:Doctor Syn - A Smuggler Tale of the Romney Marsh.djvu/298

 redcoats entered the west door and forced their way over the upturned benches in the aisles. Above the congregation flew a shower of missiles—hassocks, books, hats, sticks, anything that could be grabbed went flying through the air, and Syn leaped the pulpit and fell upon the writhing mass that was fighting below.

It took the redcoats a quarter of an hour to restore order in the church, and then Mister Mipps and Doctor Syn had disappeared.

But although Collyer was very badly cut and bruised, he was confident, for the church had been surrounded, so he knew that the miscreants couldn't escape. Presently a cry from the vestry rang out: "Help!" It was Mipps's voice. Collyer rushed the door, followed by some of his men. The remaining redcoats who had been watching the church were ordered inside to help in the arrest. These men cried out that they had seen the Doctor in the vestry from the window, and they were one and all eager to be in at the death.

Within the vestry stood Sexton Mipps with a blunderbuss at the head of Doctor Syn, who was crouched in terror at the old oak table.

"There he is! Seize him! The devil! The murderer! Seize him!"

"So you've turned King's evidence after all, have you. Mister Sexton?"

But Mipps only cried again: "There he is! Ain't none of you a-goin' to take him?"