Bezee was allers civil to the ladies , so I guess he wo n't bother you , ma'am ; '' and the old fellow laughed . `` If he does , I 'll let you know ; '' and with that I departed , for my friend called to me that the beach party was clamoring for our company . In the delights of that festive hour , I forgot the croaking of the ancient mariner , for I was about to taste a clam for the first time in my life , and it was a most absorbing moment . Perched about on the rocks like hungry penguins , we watched the jovial cooks with breathless interest , as they struggled with refractory frying-pans , fish that stubbornly refused to brown , steaming seaweed and hot stones . A certain captivating little Margie waited upon me so prettily that I should have been tempted to try a sea porcupine unskinned if she had offered it , so irresistible was her chirping way of saying , `` Oh , here 's a perfectly lovely one ! Do take him by his little black head and eat him quick . '' So beguiled , I indulged recklessly in clams , served hot between two shells , little dreaming what a price I was to pay for that marine banquet . We kept up till late , and then I was left at my own door by my friend , who informed me that York was a very primitive , safe place , where people slept with unlocked doors , and nothing ever went amiss o'nights . I said nothing of the ghosts , being ashamed to own that I quaked a little at the idea of the `` back bedroom , '' as I shut out the friendly faces and bolted myself in . A lamp and matches stood in the hall , and lighting the lamp , I whisked up stairs with suspicious rapidity , locked my door and retired to bed , firmly refusing to own even to myself that I had ever heard the name of Bezee Tucker . Being very tired , I soon fell asleep ; but fried potatoes and a dozen or two of hot clams are not viands best fitted to insure quiet repose , so a fit of nightmare brought me to a realizing sense of my indiscretion . From a chaos of wild dreams was finally evolved a gigantic clam , whose mission it was to devour me as I had devoured its relatives . The sharp shells gaped before me , a solemn voice said , `` Take her by her little head and eat her quick . '' Retribution was at hand , and , with a despairing effort to escape by diving , I bumped my head smartly against the wall , and woke up feeling as if there was an earthquake under the bed . Collecting my scattered wits , I tried to compose myself to slumber again ; but alas ! that fatal feast had murdered sleep , and I vainly tried to lull my wakeful senses with the rustle of woodbine leaves about the window , and the breaking waves upon the beach . In one of the pauses between the ebb and flow of the waves , I heard a curious sound in the house , -- a muffled sort of moan , coming at regular intervals . And , as I sat up to make out where it was , another sound caught my attentive ear . Drip , drip , drip , went something out in the hall , and in an instant the tale told me on Sunset Hill came back with unpleasant vividness . `` Nonsense !
it is raining , and the roof leaks , '' I said to myself , while a disagreeable thrill XXXXX through me , and fancy , aided by indigestion , began to people the house with uncanny inmates .
Being Perched bolted bumped clamoring fried quaked served shut went