there's bicycles
and motor cars almost every day. Most on 'em just pokes their noses
round, and then off they goes. Some wants to see the tomb inside, and
then there's a big stone over an old doorway at the back o' the church,
what they calls ''Arrowing o' 'Ell,' though _I_ don't know what it
means. You've 'eard on it? Well, I suppose it's something wonderful; but
_I_ could nivver see no 'Arrow and no 'Ell."

"I'll tell you what, sexton," I said, noticing some obviously human
bones in the earth at his graveside, "this churchyard needs a bit of new
ground."

"Ye're right there," said he, "it's needed that a good many years. But
we can't get no new ground. Old Bob Cromwell as owns the lands on that
side won't sell, and Lord ---- won't give, so wot are yer to do? Why, I
do believe as there's hundreds and thousands of people buried in this
little churchyard. It's a big parish, too, and they've been burying
their dead here since nobody knows when. Bones? Why, in some parts
there's almost as much bones as there is clay. Yer puts in one, and yer
digs up two: that's about what it comes to. I sometimes says to my
missis, 'I wonder who they'll dig up to make room for me.' 'Yes,' she
says, 'and I wonder who you'll be dug up to make room for.' It's
scandalous, that's what I says."

"But does the law allow you to disturb these old graves?"

"It does when they're old _enough_. But you can't be over particular in
a place no bigger than this. Of course, we're a bit careful like. But
ask no questions, and I'll tell yer no lies."

"But this grave you're digging now; how long is it since the last
interment was made in the same ground?"

"Well, that's a pretty straight 'un. That's what I call coming to the
point!--Thank 'ee, sir--and good luck to you and yours!--However, since
you seem a plain-dealing gentleman I'll tell you summat as I wouldn't
tell everybody. You poke your stick about in that soil over there, and
you'll find some bits as belonged to Sam Wiggin's grandfather on his
mother's side." (I poked my stick as directed.) "That's his tooth you've
got now; but I won't swear to it, as things had got a bit mixed, no
doubt, afore they put him in. Wait a bit, though. What's under that big
lump at the end o' my spade?" (He reached out his spade and touched a
clod; I turned it over and revealed the thing it hid: he examined it
carefully.) "You see, you can generally tell after a bit o' practice
what belongs to what. Putting two an