leaving Bligh at a standstill.

For awhile the man stood there like a fellow in a trance, opening and
shutting his mouth, with his eyes set on the doorway where the Parson
had disappeared. Then, his temper overmastering him, with a sweep of
his arm he sent the whole bag of tricks flying on to the floor,
kicked them to right and left through the garden, slammed the gate,
pitched across the road, and flung through the churchyard towards the
river like a whirlwind.

Now, while this was happening, Mrs. Polwhele had picked her way
across the churchyard, and after chatting a bit with my grandfather
over the theft of his tools, had stepped into the church to see that
the place, and especially the table and communion-rails and the
parsonage pew, was neat and dusted, this being her regular custom
after a trip to Plymouth. And no sooner was she within the porch
than who should come dandering along the road but Arch'laus Spry.
The road, as you know, goes downhill after passing the parsonage
gate, and holds on round the churchyard wall like a sunk way, the
soil inside being piled up to the wall's coping. But, my grandfather
being still behindhand with his job, his head and shoulders showed
over the grave's edge. So Arch'laus Spry caught sight of him.

"Why, you're the very man I was looking for," says Arch'laus,
stopping.

"Death halts for no man," answers my grandfather, shovelling away.

"That furrin' fellow is somewhere in this neighbourhood at this very
moment," says Arch'laus, wagging his head. "I saw his boat moored
down by the Passage as I landed. And I've a-got something to report.
He was up and off by three o'clock this morning, and knocked up the
Widow Polkinghorne, trying to borrow a pick and shovel."

"Pick and shovel!" My grandfather stopped working and slapped his
thigh. "Then he's the man that 've walked off with mine: and a
biddicks too."

"He said nothing of a biddicks, but he's quite capable of it."

"Surely in the midst of life we are in death," said my grandfather.
"I was al'ays inclined to believe that text, and now I'm sure of it.
Let's go and see the Parson."

He tossed his shovel on to the loose earth above the grave and was
just about to scramble out after it when the churchyard gate shook on
its hinges and across the path and by the church porch went Bligh, as
I've said, like a whirlwind. Arch'laus Spry, that had pulled his
chin up level with the coping, ducked at the sight of him, and e