The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 90: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

84 A jolly, stout fellow, whose fiery face attested his devotedness to old Plymouth rum or nut-brown ale. Next came the blacksmith of the parish, whose black leathern apron, spread over his knees, served as a screen for the landlady. Not much could be seen of the others, who were seated in the background. But they seemed to be pot companions of the blacksmith, with whom they were in earnest conversation. Such was the party among whom the young officer found himseJf seated. ‘To all their questions he was mute, or gave a short, evasive answer. A few moments had elapsed when he received from the landlord a tumbler of hot rum and water, which he had ordered on entering. To this he joined a few slices of old English beef, with a round or two of the landlady’s home- made bread. Feeling himself more comfortable, both as {o his inward and outward map, he was disposed to enter into conversation, which he had hitherto avoided. “May I ask you,” said the landlady, observing him listening to the quaint jokes of the sextov, who was the oracle of the parish, “may I ask you— mean no offeuce, your honour—what brought you out here in this hurricane ?”’ s “Why, my good woman,” replied the young officer, ‘I will not be deceitful enough to say that I came out on purpose to see you. I went, you must know, to see some friends, but, returning to my uncle’s home, the darkness of the night made me lose wy way, and here I am, but where I know not.” ‘* Among friends, I hope,” cried the sexton, offer- ing him at the same time a drink from the tankard. He was in the act of putting it to bis lips, when the young officer’s servant entered by the back- door with his horse-cloth strapped over his head. ‘‘ Well, Tim,” said his master, ‘I suppose you are in want of something to warm you? What will you take ?” “You are very kind, Master Ned; Ill take vee ial ‘what you know I always takes when I be co He flung the horse-cloth aside, and discovered to the inmates his grinning countenance, which he had blackened. **Lawk-a’-mercy ’pon us!” exclaimed the land- Jady, “is that your servant, sir ?—mean no offence, your honour, only he’s rather ugly ; ; he may bea good servant for all that, though,” said she. “Yes; anda faithful one, too,’ replied Ned, his master, laughing and telling a fib. “I brought him over from the West Indies with me about five years ago, and he has never left me since, not even in the midst of danger.”’ “TI believe you,” vociferated the murky black- smith ; “ black persons are generally faithful.” Ned Warbeck could not repress a smile, and ordered in some refreshment for Tim, who, without any ceremony, seated himself on a three-legged stool by the side of Ned, his master, the others willingly making room for him, His ivory grinders were soon at work, and the whisky flask in a short time was emptied of its contents, He had scarcely ended when Ned, feeling weary, requested the landlord to show him to a place of rett for the night. “Willingly, sir,” said the landlord; “but I am hearty sorry I cannot give you a bed, for, d’ye see, we’ve got several farmers who’ve been to the fair near by, and they’re rum sort of chaps, who wouldn’t stir an inch for any one; free and easy, sir, THE SKELETON CREW; OR, {Pca aC wk Vo NED. I will, as you observed, give youa place i in the A jalisatont fellom sdhessBeagbume testa: || Gene loft, where you must put up for to-night witha truss of hay for your pillow.” “Good enough,” replied the young officer ; “I’ve often had a worse bed than that. Come along, Tin, my boy; make ready, and to the right about— march |” “A thought strikes me,’ replied the landlord, “but I dare not propose it.” ‘“ What isit ? Speak out,” said Ned. “Well, sir, I have at some distance from here another house. which I’ve had to Jet for these ten years, but nobody will live there, because they say as how it’s ‘haunted,’ though I’ve been in it several times myself in the day, and I have never seen anything.” “But I have, though,” bawled out the sexton. “?Twas but the other night, as I was coming from the veterinary surgeon, and as I passed by your house yonder, I sees a light in your top room, anda large hand stretching out 0’ the window, that gived the shutter such a slap. I trembles now at the bare idea of it, and if that there young gemman takes my advice he’d better sleep in the hay-loft. No- thing will disturb him there.” “T thank you,” said Ned, “ for warning me of the dangers I may have to encounter ; ; but I have always been fond of singular adventures, and as this promises to be one of uncommon attraction, if the landlord will lead the way, I am ready to spend the night in the ‘ haunted mansion,’ ” “‘ Amen,” said the sexton, ‘‘one bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. ‘Drin deep, and snore deep,’ that’s my motto, and for my own part I would rather sleep quietly here than run the risk of being murdered, slaughtered, or Heaven knows what, by ghosts or ‘the Skeleton Crew, 4 “Not so with me,’ said the dauntless son of Neptune, dropping at the same time a purse into the landlord’s hands, ‘at all events, if I don’t return, ’twill be but a job for you, Mr. Sexton,” said he, with an arch look. “1 My servant Tim may stay here if he likes, end I will take him up, on my way home to-morrow morning, if hobgoblins don’t eat me up before,”’ “Tl not stay here, Master Ned, but go with you. I never saw a ghost, and would very much like to see one,” said Tim with a grin. “ Well, my boy, your wish shall be gratified ; go and fetch the pistols out of the holsters, which, with another trusty friend I have here (striking at the same time on the hilt of his sword, which was lying on the bench) will give them a warm reception should they wish to annoy us.” Ned and Tim were soon ready. » In the meantime the landlord prepared a bottle of brandy, some pipes and tobacco, which he put ina large bag, and slung over his shoulder. ‘We will all go and see you safely in,” said the inmates, “ but you must excuse us if we don’t share the dangers with you, We’ve had enough of ghosts and skeletons in our time about here.” “Oh, certainly,’ was Ned’s careless answer; “much obliged to you for your kind offer.”’ All was ready, and Tim had just returned with the pistols, upon which, the whole party having bid good-night to the landlady, sallied forth about half- past twelve, The rain had not entirely ceased, and the night, to use the sexton’s expression, was dark as the parish vaults, The landlord walked first with a huge lantern, the reflection of which upon the wet stones formed a striking contrast with the surrounding objects. nicboo (E(0) S (E(0)