Page:Doctor Syn - A Smuggler Tale of the Romney Marsh.djvu/40

 Mipps came right up to him and whispered in this ear the significant word, "Worrumps!"

"What?" shouted the captain, who didn't understand.

"Sh!" said Mipps, pointing across at Mrs. Waggetts, who had begun to weep into her apron. "He's a-keepin' 'em out."

"Keeping who out?" snapped the captain.

"I keep telling you," replied the sexton. "Worrumps!"

"Danged if I can make out what you say." The captain's patience was well-nigh exhausted. "Go and fetch the landlord!" he ordered.

"Oh, would that he could," sobbed Mrs. Waggetts. "Oh, dear, oh, dear!"

The captain turned on her with an oath. "What's the matter with you, my good woman?" he said.

"That good woman is the landlord," volunteered Mr. Mipps.

"You exasperating little liar!" shouted the captain, seizing the enigmatical sexton and shaking him violently; "you said the landlord was in the churchyard a minute ago."

"A minute ago!" cried the breathless undertaker. "Why, he's been there a year and a half, and there he'll stop till as wot time as they gets him. Though I must say I gave him the best pine and knocked him up solid with my own hands—