against the sky; the white clouds sailed slowly by the moon, which
reflected itself on the damp grass, and shone upon the flat wet
tomb-stones till they looked like pieces of water. It was not less
bright upon the upright ones, upon quaint crosses, short headstones,
and upon the huge ungainly memorial of the murdered Ephraim Garnett.
But _the_ sight on which it shone that night was the figure now
standing by Ephraim Garnett's grave, and looking over the wall. An
awful figure, of gigantic height, with ghostly white garments clinging
round its headless body, and carrying under its left arm the head that
should have been upon its shoulders. On this there was neither flesh
nor hair. It seemed to be a bare skull, with fire gleaming through the
hollow eye-sockets and the grinning teeth. The right hand of the
figure was outstretched as if in warning; and from the palms to the
tips of the fingers was a mass of lambent flame. When Bill saw this
fearful apparition he screamed with hearty good will; but the noise he
made was nothing to the yell of terror that came from beneath the
shroud of the Yew-lane Ghost, who, on catching sight of the rival
spectre, fled wildly up the lane, kicking the white sheet off as he
went, and finally displaying, to Bill's amazement, the form and
features of Bully Tom. But this was not all. No sooner had the first
ghost started, than the second (not to be behind-hand) jumped nimbly
over the wall, and gave chase. But fear had put wings on to Bully
Tom's feet; and the second ghost being somewhat encumbered by his
costume, judged it wisdom to stop; and then taking the fiery skull in
its flaming hands, shied it with such dexterity, that it hit Bully Tom
in the middle of his back, and falling on to the wet ground, went out
with a hiss. This blow was an unexpected shock to the Bully, who
thought the ghost must have come up to him with supernatural rapidity,
and falling on his knees in the mud, began to roar most lustily:

"Lord, have mercy upon me! I'll never do it no more!"

Mr. Lindsay was not likely to alter his opinion on the subject of
bullies. This one, like others, was a mortal coward. Like other men,
who have no fear of GOD before their eyes, he made up for it by having
a very hearty fear of sickness, death, departed souls, and one or two
other things, which the most self-willed sinner knows well enough to
be in the hands of a Power which he cannot see, and does not wish to
believe in. Bully Tom ha