"Oh! Don't cut my throat, sir," I pleaded in terror. "Pray don't do it, sir."

     "Tell us your name!" said the man. "Quick!"

     "Pip, sir."

     "Once more," said the man, staring at me. "Give it mouth!"

     "Pip. Pip, sir."

     "Show us where you live," said the man. "Pint out the place!"

     I pointed to where our village lay, on the flat in-shore among the alder-trees and pollards, a mile or more from the church.

     The man, after looking at me for a moment, turned me upside down, and emptied my pockets. There was nothing in them but a piece of bread. When the church came to itself,--for he was so sudden and strong that he made it go head over heels before me, and I saw the steeple under my feet,--when the church came to itself, I say, I was seated on a high tombstone, trembling while he ate the bread ravenously.

     "You young dog," said the man, licking his lips, "what fat cheeks you ha' got."