d spoken the truth when he said that if he
thought there was a ghost in Yew-lane he wouldn't go near it. If he
had believed the stories with which he had alarmed poor Bill, the
lad's evening walk would never have been disturbed, as far as he was
concerned. Nothing but his spite against Bessy would have made him
take so much trouble to vex the peace, and stop the schooling, of her
pet brother; and as it was, the standing alone by the churchyard at
night was a position so little to his taste, that he had drunk pretty
heavily in the public-house for half an hour beforehand, to keep up
his spirits. And now he had been paid back in his own coin, and lay
grovelling in the mud, and calling profanely on the Lord, Whose mercy
such men always cry for in their trouble, if they never ask it for
their sins. He was so confused and blinded by drink and fright, that
he did not see the second ghost divest himself of his encumbrances, or
know that it was John Gardener, till that rosy-cheeked worthy, his
clenched hands still flaming with brimstone, danced round him, and
shouted scornfully, and with that vehemence of aspiration, in which he
was apt to indulge when excited:

"Get hup, yer great cowardly booby, will yer? So you thought you was
coming hout to frighten a little lad, did ye? And you met with one of
your hown size, did ye? Now _will_ ye get hup and take it like a man,
or shall I give it you as ye lie there?"

Bully Tom chose the least of two evils, and staggering to his feet
with an oath, rushed upon John. But in his present condition he was no
match for the active little gardener, inspired with just wrath, and
thoughts of Bessy; and he then and there received such a sound
thrashing as he had not known since he first arrogated the character
of village bully. He was roaring loudly for mercy, and John Gardener
was giving him a harmless roll in the mud by way of conclusion, when
he caught sight of the two young gentlemen in the lane--Master Arthur
in fits of laughter at the absurd position of the ex-Yew-lane Ghost
and Mr. Lindsay standing still and silent, with folded arms, set lips,
and the gold eye-glass on his nose. As soon as he saw them, he began
to shout, "Murder! help!" at the top of his voice.

"I see myself," said Master Arthur, driving his hands contemptuously
into his pockets--"I see myself helping a great lout who came out to
frighten a child, and can neither defend his own eyes and nose, nor
take a licking with a go