"Mr. Mipps," corrected the parson, "again I must ask you to repeat your remark."
"I said, sir," replied the sexton, meekly handing back the glass, "that you're quite right: it's a King's ship, a nice King's ship!"
"And she's standing in, too," went on the parson. "I can make her out plainly now, and, good gracious! she's lowering a long-boat!"
"Oh!" said Mr. Mipps, "I wonder wot that's for?"
"A revenue search," volunteered the preventer.
Mipps started. He hadn't seen the preventer.
"Hello!" he said, turning round; "didn't know you was there, Sir Francis Drake. What do you make of that there ship?"
"A King's frigate," replied the preventer man. "She's sending a boat's crew ashore."
"What for?" asked the sexton.
"I told you: a revenue search; to look for smugglers."
"Smugglers," laughed the parson, "here in Dymchurch?"
"Aye, sir, so they say. Smugglers here in Dymchurch."
"God bless my soul!" exclaimed the parson incredulously.
"How silly!" said the sexton.
"That remains to be seen, Mister," retorted the preventer.
"What do you say?" said the sexton.
