“ On one occasion Bill Jones appeared slow in getting on the yard to hand a sail. The captain, according to custom, abused the seaman as a lubberly rascal, who got fat by leaving his duty to other people. The man made a saucy answer, almost amounting to mutiny, on which, in a towering passion, the captain ran down to his cabin, and returned with a blunderbuss loaded with slugs, with which he took deliberate aim at the supposed mutineer, fired, and mortally wounded him. ”

“ This was a joyous proposal for Saundy. He speedily picked up the two guns, the Bible, and the Scots Worthies, and taking his father’s hand as desired, had unlocked the door, and was just about to set his foot over the threshold, when to his consternation, he heard the sound of a number of people running towards the kirk stile. The firing of the gun and the ringing of the bell had alarmed the whole neighbourhood. Every one started out of bed and made for the church-yard at full speed in the expectation of finding either Saunders Watson or some other person a corpse ”

“ The church-yard was a spot which from its retired situation,—without a house, save the church, within a quarter of a mile of it,—seemed the very sanctuary of holiness and solitude. It was surrouded with a strong high dyke, on the outside of which a line of tall ash trees formed a second circle; so that nothing of the external world was visable to an internal observer, save the tops of two long parallel ranges of mountains that walled in the valley, or rather the glen. ”

“ The narrator had in his youth gone mate of a slave-vessel from Liverpool, of which town he seemed to be a native. The captain of the vessel was a man of variable temper, sometimes kind and courteous to his men, but subject to fits of humour, dislike, and passion, during which he was very violent, tyrannical, and cruel. He took a particular dislike at one sailor abroad, an elderly man, called Bill Jones, or some such name. He seldom spoke to this man without threats and abuse, which the old man, with the licence which sailors take in merchant vessels, was very apt to return. ”

“ We’re really within the shadow o’ death! A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death without any order, and where the light is as darkness.’—Job Tent and Twunty-secunt. What a mercy it is I hae some bits o’ the Bible on my tongue the nicht! Can ye say ony o’t, Saundy?” “Hoot, binna sae feart, faither!” replied Saunday; “I’m no giftit wi’ scriptir; but I’ll say ye a piece o’ a hymn it I hae in my memory, an’ it I think suits the occasion—
“O Mary! ”

“ Said Saundy what’s the use o’ taking ony buiks wi’ you? I’m sure, when ye canna read without specks at a burnin’ cannle, ye’ll far less can read ony at the moon.”
“Tut, tut, bairn!” said Saunders, “they are ay gude to hae aside ane, make what use o’ them ye like. Gude knows what kin’ o’ faes we may hae to contend wi’ afore mornin’, an’ mony an evil speerit has be been fleyed awa wi’ the word o’ Gude, whan nocht else wud do at them.” “ Then” replied Saundy, “if we’re to hae only thae kin’ o’ craitirs to deal wi’, it was needless takin’ the guns wi’ us. What can guns do at speerits?” ”

“ This was about the time when the greatest alarm prevailed, and the most fearful stories were circulating through the country regarding the resurrectionists, as they are appropriately called. In consequence of this, Saunders in a solemn divan of his neighbours, came to the resolution of watching his daughter’s grave, for a fortnight or so, till decay should have so far done its work as to render the corpse of no use to any anatomist. ”

“ I‘ Guide’s name, what ir ye, or what is’t ye’r seeking here at this time o’ nicht? No answer was made, but the figure still kept moving as formerly. “I ax ye again what ye ir? “cried Sauners—“speak or oo’ll blaw ye’r brains oot. Dinna think oo’ll let the graves o’ the dead be rifled in oor presence. “This appeal was as unsuccessful as the former one. Saunders’s embarrasment increased; for he was resolved to call only a third time. “I warn ye again to quat ye’re unhallowed wark and let the dead lie. I’ll no speak anither time, as Gude’s my help. ”

“ But to his great joy, he was relieved from this dilemma by observing that the window opened to the inside upon hinges. “Deed ye’r no far wrang bairn,” he at length whispered cautiously. “But coodna ye open the window withoot ony noise, and play pap at them that way? for the door maunna be set up at nae rate. Oo maun keep oursels safe within the hoose, Sandy.” “But will’t no be murder, faither, to shoot without gien’ them timeous warnin’?” said Saundy. “Bless me, bairn, what a mercy ye thought on that! We maunna bring ony man’s blood aboon oor heads. ”