Page:Moonfleet - John Meade Falkner.pdf/64

 here so often now to frighten honest Parmiter, for I have weaved him some pretty tales of Blackbeard, and he has a wholesome scare of meeting the Colonel. But after dark I pledge my life that neither he nor any other in the town would pass the churchyard wall, no, not for a thousand pounds."

I heard him chuckling to himself, and the others laughed loudly too, when he was telling how he palmed me off; but "he laughs loudest who laughs last," thought I, and should have chuckled too, were it not for making the coffin creak.

And then, to my surprise, Elzevir spoke: "The lad is a brave lad; I would he were my son. He is David's age, and will make a good sailor later on."

They were simple words, yet pleasing to me; for Elzevir spoke as if he meant them, and I had got to like him a little in spite of all his grimness; and besides that, was sorry for his grief over his son. I was so moved by what he said, that for a moment I was for jumping up and calling out to him that I lay here and liked him well, but then thought better of it, and so kept still.

The carrying was over, and I fancy they were all sitting on the ends of kegs or leaning up against the pile; but could not see, and was still much troubled with the torch smoke, though now and then I caught through it a whiff of tobacco, which showed that some were smoking.

Then Greening, who had a singing voice for all his drawl, struck up with—