wasn't up that night. Well, he had some misgivings, as anybody must;

still he pushed along, whistling and swinging his stick, and saying to

himself that there was no such thing as cowardice in our family;

till just at the corner where the big yew-tree is, that we sometimes

starboard helm by when the tide is making with a nor'west wind; there

Bob seed a sight as made his hair crawl. But I won't say another word

about it now, and have to go home in the dark by myself arter'ards."

"Come, now, Harry!" "Oh, we can't stand that!" "We'll see you to your

door, lad, if you out with it, fair and forcible."

Of these and other exhortations Harry took no notice, but folded his

arms across his breast, and gazed at something which his mind presented.

"Harry Shanks, you will have the manners"--Captain Tugwell spoke

impressively, not for his own sake, for he knew the tale, and had been

consulted about it, but from sense of public dignity--"to finish the

story which you began. To begin a yarn of your own accord, and then

drop it all of a heap, is not respectful to present company. Springhaven

never did allow such tricks, and will not put up with them from any

young fellow. If your meaning was to drop it, you should never have

begun."

Glasses and even pipes rang sharply upon the old oak table in applause

of this British sentiment, and the young man, with a sheepish look,

submitted to the voice of the public.

"Well, then, all of you know where the big yew-tree stands, at the break

of the hill about half a mile inland, and how black it looms among the

other stuff. But Bob, with his sweetheart in his head, no doubt, was

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