“You’re our Captain,” said one of those who had stood at the altar, “an’ has yer ordhers from higher quarthers; of coorse, whatever ye command upon us we’re bound to obey you in.”

“Well,” said he, smiling, “I only wanted to thry yez; an’ by the oath ye tuck, there’s not a captain in the county has as good a right to be proud of his min as I have.  Well, ye won’t rue it, maybe, when the right time comes; and for that same rason every one of ye must have a glass from the jar; thim that won’t dhrink it in the chapel can dhrink it widout; an’ here goes to open the door for thim.”

He then distributed another glass to every one who would accept it, and brought the jar afterwards to the chapel door, to satisfy the scruples of those who would not drink within.  When this was performed, and all duly excited, he proceeded:—­

“Now, brothers, you are solemnly sworn to obay me, and I’m sure there’s no thraithur here that ’ud parjure himself for a thrifle; but I’m sworn to obay them that’s above me, manin’ still among ourselves; an’ to show that I don’t scruple to do it, here goes!”

He then turned round, and taking the Missal between his hands placed it upon the altar.  Hitherto every word was uttered in a low precautionary tone; but on grasping the book he again turned round, and looking upon his confederates with the same satanic expression which marked his countenance before, he exclaimed, in a voice of deep determination, first kissing the book!

[Illustration:  PAGE WG939—­ By this sacred an’ holy book of God]

“By this sacred an’ holy book of God, I will perform the action which we have met this night to accomplish, be that what it may; an’ this I swear upon God’s book, and God’s althar!”

On concluding, he struck the book violently with his open hand, thereby occasioning a very loud report.

At this moment the candle which burned before him went suddenly out, and the chapel was wrapped in pitchy darkness; the sound as if of rushing wings fell upon our ears, and fifty voices dwelt upon the last words of his oath with wild and supernatural tones, that seemed to echo and to mock what he had sworn.  There was a pause, and an exclamation of horror from all present; but the Captain was too cool and steady to be disconcerted.  He immediately groped about until he got the candle, and proceeding calmly to a remote corner of the chapel, took up a half-burned peat which lay there, and after some trouble succeeded in lighting it again.  He then explained what had taken place; which indeed was easily done, as the candle happened to be extinguished by a pigeon which sat directly above it.  The chapel, I should have observed, was at this time, like many country chapels, unfinished inside, and the pigeons of a neighboring dove-cot had built nests among the rafters of the unceiled roof; which circumstance also explained the rushing of the wings, for the birds had been affrighted by the sudden loudness of the noise.  The mocking voices were nothing but the echoes, rendered naturally more awful by the scene, the mysterious object of the meeting, and the solemn hour of the night.