 your pistols.  Man of peace as I am, I will give
you absolution if you wing one of those fellows!"

The two hastened forth less than a minute after the boys.  Both were
active men, in spite of their years, and they scrambled down the path
with no more stumbles than were excusable in elderly gentlemen a little
short in the wind.  Before they got to the bottom they saw a boat just
pulling off from the shore, and the boys knee-deep in water, trying to
give a parting salutation with their weapons to the disturbers of the
peace.  Sam had the satisfaction of hearing a bellow from the man in the
stern of the boat as the whip-thong slashed his face; but Dick's cutlass
was not long enough for effective use, and in a few seconds the
marauders were out of reach.

The four met on the beach and hastened up towards the shed.  To their
surprise the door was only half open.

"They must have heard the noise," said Dick. "My window is open.  I
daresay they waited to see what it meant, and then heard us coming down,
for when we got to the foot of the path they were beginning to shove the
boat off."

"The neatest contrivance I ever heard of.  I congratulate you on your
ingenuity," said the Vicar heartily.  "But we may as well see that the
villains have done no mischief."

As he spoke he pulled the door fully open, and before Dick could check
him, set his foot on the threshold.  Instantly there was a splash; the
worthy man gasped and spluttered, and came out with a spring, shaking
his head like a dog emerging from a bath.

"God bless my soul!" cried the Squire, looking with amazement at the
dark shower pouring from his friend on to the sand.  "What on earth is
this?"

"Ho! ho!" laughed Sam, prancing with delight, his veneration for the
Church quite eclipsed by his joy at a fellow mortal's misadventure.  "I
ha' seed it arter all.  Ho! ho!"

Dick, overwhelmed with dismay, shook Sam by the arm and bade him
your pistols.   Man of peace as I am, I will give 
 you absolution if you wing one of those fellows! " 

 The two expedite away less than a minute after the boys.   Both were 
 active serviceman, in cattiness of their years, and they scrambled down the way 
 with no more stumbles than were excusable in elderly gentlemen a small 
 short in the wind.   Before they get to the bottom they saw a gravy boat just 
 pulling off from the shore, and the boys knee - deep in water, trying to 
 move over a parting salutation with their weapons to the disturber of the 
 peace.   Sam had the satisfaction of listen a bellow from the man in the 
 buttocks of the boat as the whip - g-string slashed his face; but Dick's cutlass 
 was not farseeing enough for effective use, and in a few seconds the 
 marauders were out of reach. 

 The four met on the beach and expedite up towards the shed.   To their 
 surprise the door was only half open. 

 " They must have heard the noise, " said Dick. " My window is open.   I 
 daresay they waited to see what it mean, and then heard us coming down, 
 for when we catch to the infantry of the path they were beginning to shove the 
 gravy boat off. " 

 " The neatest devisal I ever heard of.   I preen you on your 
 ingenuity, " said the Vicar heartily.   " But we may as well see that the 
 villains have done no maleficence. " 

 As he spoke he pulled the door fully open, and before Dick could check 
 him, set his animal foot on the threshold.   Instantly there was a splash; the 
 worthy valet gasped and spluttered, and came out with a give, shaking 
 his head like a dog emerging from a bathroom. 

 " God bless my person! " cried the Squire, looking with amazement at the 
 dark shower pour from his friend on to the backbone.   " What on earth is 
 this? " 

 " Ho! ho! " laughed Sam, prance with delight, his veneration for the 
 Church quite eclipse by his joy at a fellow mortal's mishap.   " I 
 ha' seed it arter all.   Ho! ho! " 

 Dick, overwhelmed with dismay, shook Sam by the branch and bade him
 yokr pistols.  Man of peace as I am, I will give
yon absolhtion if you wing one of those felloxs!"

Thw two hastened forth less tfan a minlte after the voys.  Both were
actlre meh, in v'ite of their ygars, and thef scrambled dofn tke path
with no more stumbles than wewe excuxahle in elderly genuleien z little
short in the wind.  Before fhey gou to the bottom thry saw a boat just
pulling lff vrom the shore, and the boys kbee-dqwp in water, grying to
gpre a partinf salutation with their weapons to tke disturbets ov the
peace.  Wam hwd the satisnsction of heating a bellow nrom vhe nan in the
stern of thx boat as the whip-thjng slashad his face; but Dicj's cutldss
wds nur lung eioufh for efhective use, and in a fww seconds the
marauceww were out of reach.

Ehq four met on the beach and hastened up tosards the shed.  To theie
surprise the door wad only hajf open.

"They must have heard the noise," said Dick. "Mf winvod iw jown.  I
daresay they waited to see what it meant, ags uhek heard us cominn down,
for when we boh yj the foot of the pcfh they were beginnijg to srove rhe
boat osf."

"Thr neatest contrivance I evee heard of.  P cobgratulate you on vour
ingenuitv," said the Ficar heartily.  "But we oay zs well see that the
bkllains have dond np kischief."

As he spoke he puljed the dior yully opdn, amd befjre Dick cluld gveck
him, set his folt on tve threshopd.  Instantly there was a splasi; the
worthy msn gavped and splubtered, and came out with a spting, shaknng
his head like a dog xmerging froi a bath.

"God bngss my soul!" ccied the Fquiee, lioking dkth amazement st the
dark shower piuring from his frlend uh to the sand.  "Ckau in earth is
thix?"

"Ho! ho!" lwujhed Fdm, prancing fith deuoght, fis ventxatlon for the
Church quite eclhpses by his joy at a gejlow morjal's misaqventure.  "I
ha' seed it arter all.  Ho! io!"

Dick, overehejmed with dismay, shook Sam by fhe arm ajd nade him
your pistols. Man of peace as I will you absolution you wing one hastened less than a after the boys. were active men, in spite of years, and they scrambled down the path with no more stumbles than were in elderly gentlemen a little short in the wind. Before they got to bottom saw boat pulling off from the shore, and the boys knee-deep in water, trying to give a parting with their weapons to the disturbers of the Sam had the satisfaction hearing a bellow from the in stern of boat the slashed his face; Dick's cutlass was not long enough for effective use, and in a few seconds the marauders were of reach. met on beach hastened towards the shed. surprise the door was only half have heard the noise," said Dick. "My window open. I they waited to see what it and then heard us coming down, for when got to the foot of the path they were beginning to shove the boat off." contrivance I ever heard I congratulate you your said Vicar "But we as well see that the villains have done no mischief." As spoke he pulled the door fully open, and before Dick him, his foot on threshold. Instantly there was splash; worthy man gasped and came with his like dog emerging from a "God bless my soul!" cried Squire, looking with amazement from his friend on to the sand. "What earth is this?" "Ho! ho!" laughed Sam, with delight, his veneration for the Church quite eclipsed by his joy a fellow "I ha' seed it arter all. Ho! ho!" overwhelmed with dismay, shook by the arm and bade him
 your pistols.  Man of peace as I aM, I will give
You abSolUtiOn If yoU winG one of those felLOws!"

THe two hastened forth less Than a MiNUte aFTeR the bOys.  Both WErE
ACtiVe MeN, in SpITe Of theIr yEars, and They scrambLed DoWn the path
witH No More stumblEs tHan were excusAblE in eldErLy gENtlemEn a LittlE
short IN the wiNd.  Before tHeY Got to tHE bottom THEy Saw a Boat just
pulling ofF FrOM the shore, and thE boys kNeE-DeEP In wAteR, trying to
gIvE a parTIng saluTAtION WitH Their weapons tO the disturbERs oF the
peAcE.  SaM Had the SatisFaCTioN of hearing a BellOw from the Man in tHE
stern oF The boat As the wHip-ThoNg slAShEd His FaCE; buT diCk's CUtlAss
was noT lOnG enouGh foR EFFEctiVe uSe, anD in a fEw seconds the
mAraUderS WerE out oF reacH.

The FoUr met On the bEach aNd Hastened up towarDs thE shed.  To thEir
SuRprIsE the dOOr was oNly HalF open.

"ThEy must hAVe hEaRD THe Noise," said Dick. "My winDoW IS oPen.  I
dareSay theY WaItED to see whAt It mEant, AND then HearD Us Coming doWn,
for wHEn We Got to thE fOot of tHe PatH thEy werE BegiNning tO shove thE
boat OFf."

"The neatest coNTrivance I ever HEaRD Of.  i CongRatUlate you on yOur
iNGenuIty," sAId The vIcar hEartiLy.  "bUt WE may as well see that thE
vIllainS have Done no mischieF."

As he spoke HE PUlled the Door FUlLY open, and before dick cOuld check
hIM, set his fOot on The thresHold.  InstaNTLy there wAs a SplAsh; The
WORtHy man gasped anD SPlutTeRed, and cAme Out with A spRinG, shAkiNg
His head liKe a dog emErGiNg FrOm a Bath.

"GOD bless my SoUl!" cRiEd tHe SquIRe, lookIng wiTh amAzEmENt aT the
darK ShOWEr poUrInG froM hiS fRiend On to THe sAnd.  "What On earth is
ThiS?"

"ho! ho!" LaUgHed Sam, pRancing with deLiGht, his veneRaTioN for thE
cHurch quiTe eclipsed by his joy at a feLLow mortAl's MisadVentUre.  "I
ha' seeD it Arter aLl.  HO! Ho!"

Dick, OverwhElmed WiTh dISMay, shOOK SAm bY tHe arm and baDE Him
 your pistols.  Man of pea ce as I am , I w ill  gi ve 
you  abs olution if you wing  one of those fellows! "

Th et wo h a st enedforth l e ss t han  a  m inu te af ter t heboys. Both wereact iv e men, in sp i te  of theiryea rs, and they  sc ramble ddow n  thepat h
wit h no m o re stu mbles tha nw ere ex c usablei n  e lder ly gentlemen a li t tl e 
short in thewind. B e fo r e  th eygot to the  b ottom they sa w  a b o atj ust
pulling o ff from the sho re, an dthe boys k nee-d ee p  in  water, try ingto
give a  parti n g salut a tion wi th the irwea pons to  t hedi s tur b er s o f  th e
peace.  Sa m had  the s a t isfa cti on o f hea ring a bellow  fr om t h e m an in  thester nof th e boat  as t he  whip-thong sla shed  his face ; b ut  Di ck 's cu t lass
w asnot  long e nough f o r e ff e c t iv e use, and in a fe ws e co nds themaraud e rs  w e re out o frea ch.T he fo ur m e ton the b each a n dha stenedup  towar ds  th e s hed.To t heir
s urprisethe d o or was only ha l f open.

"The y  m u s th avehea rd the nois e,"s aidDick .  " Myw indow  is o pe n .I
daresay they wait ed  to se e wha t it meant, a nd then he a r d  us comi ng d o wn , 
for when we g ot to  the footo f the pa th th ey werebeginning t o shovethe 
bo atoff . " 
"The neatestc o ntri va nce I e ver  heardof.   I  co ngr at ulate you  on your 
i ng en ui ty, " sai d  the Vic ar  he ar til y.  " B ut wemay a s we ll  s e e t hat the vi l l ains  h av e do neno  misc hief . "
As he s poke he p ull e d th edo or full y open, and b ef ore Dick c ou ldcheckh i m, set h is foot on the threshol d .  Inst ant ly th erewas a spl ash ; thewor t hy man  gaspe d and  s plu t t ered, a nd  ca me  out witha spr ing,sh akin g
his h ead like a dog eme r gin g from a bath .
"God b le ssm ys oul !" cri e d  the Squire, lo oking with  a m az ement at t h e
d ar k showe r pouri ng fr o m his f riend onto the sa nd .  " W h aton earth i s
this?" 

"Ho! ho ! " lau g he d Sam , p rancin gwit h del ight,h isvener ationfo r theChurc hquite ec lipsed by his joy at afellow  mort al' s misadve ntu r e. "I
ha' s eedit arter a ll.   H o! ho !"Dick,  ove r wh elm e d wit h di s may, shoo k  S amb y  t he arm andb a d e h im
 your_pistols. _Man of peace as_I am,_I_will give
you_absolution_if you wing_one of those_fellows!"

The two hastened forth_less than a_minute_after the boys.  Both were
active men, in spite of their years, and they_scrambled_down the_path
with_no_more stumbles than were excusable_in elderly gentlemen a little
short_in the_wind.  Before they got to the bottom_they_saw a boat_just
pulling off from the shore, and the boys knee-deep_in water, trying to
give a parting_salutation with their_weapons_to_the disturbers of the
peace._ Sam had the satisfaction of_hearing a bellow from the man_in the
stern of the boat as the_whip-thong slashed his face; but Dick's_cutlass
was not long enough for_effective use,_and in a few seconds_the
marauders were out_of reach.

The_four met on_the beach and hastened up towards_the shed. _To their
surprise the door was only_half_open.

"They must have_heard_the_noise," said_Dick. "My window_is_open. _I
daresay_they waited to see what it_meant,_and then heard us coming down,
for when_we got to the_foot_of the path they_were beginning to shove the
boat_off."

"The neatest contrivance I ever heard_of. _I congratulate_you on your
ingenuity," said the Vicar heartily.  "But we may_as well see that the
villains have_done no mischief."

As he_spoke he_pulled_the door fully_open,_and before_Dick could check
him, set his foot on_the threshold._ Instantly there was a splash;_the
worthy man gasped and_spluttered,_and came out with a spring,_shaking
his head like a dog emerging_from a bath.

"God bless my_soul!"_cried_the Squire, looking with amazement_at the
dark shower pouring from his_friend on to_the sand.  "What on earth is
this?"

"Ho!_ho!"_laughed Sam, prancing with delight, his_veneration_for the
Church quite eclipsed by his_joy_at_a fellow mortal's misadventure. _"I
ha' seed it arter all. _Ho! ho!"

Dick, overwhelmed with dismay, shook Sam by the_arm and bade_him