Page:Doctor Syn - A Smuggler Tale of the Romney Marsh.djvu/75

. Suddenly it perceived the harpoon and, with a cry, unhooked it from its nail. The sexton opened his eyes, and the figure swung the dangerous weapon above his head, and Jerk thought that the sexton's last moment had come, but Mipps, uttering a piercing cry, kicked out most lustily against the chimney-piece, and backward he went along with the settle.

Perhaps it was the horrible cry that frightened the thing, because it came running out of the front door with the harpoon still in its hand, and leaping the churchyard wall disappeared among the tombstones in the direction of the Marsh.

Mipps got up and ran to the door, crying out for Rash, and at the same time the door of the Court House opened and Doctor Syn came striding toward the vicarage.

"No more parochial work, I trust to-night, Mr. Sexton?" he said cheerily, but then noticing Mipps's terrified demeanour he added: "What's the matter, Mr. Mipps? You look as grave as a tombstone."

"So would you, sir, if you seen wot I seed. It was standin' over me lookin' straight down at me, as yellow as a guinea."

"What was?" said the cleric.

"A thing!" said the sexton.

"Come, come, what sort of thing?" demanded the vicar.

"The likes of a man," replied the sexton, thinking,