"Let us have a look at this chap," said the first, examining Vanslyperken, whose peaked nose and chin, small ferret-eyes, and downcast look, were certainly not in his favour; neither were his old and now tattered habiliments. Certainly no one would have taken Vanslyperken for a king's officer--unfortunately they took him for something else. "Now tell me, fellow, what were you going to do with this?" inquired the man in a severe tone. "I sha'n't tell you," replied Vanslyperken. "Why that's the chap that I sees go in and out of the room where that old hell-fire witch lives, who curses all day long." "I thought as much," observed the man, who still held up the cur's tail. "Now I appeal to you all, what can a fellow want with such a thing as this--ay, my good people, and want it so much too, as to risk being torn to pieces for it--if he ar'n't inclined to evil practices?" "That's sartain sure," replied another. "A witch--a witch!" cried the whole crowd. "Let's duck him--tie his thumbs--away with him--come along, my lads, away with him." Although there were not, at the time we write about, regular witch-finders, as in the time of James the First, still the feeling against witches, and the belief that they practised, existed. They were no longer handed over to summary and capital punishment, but, whenever suspected, they were sure to meet with very rough treatment. Such was the fate of Mr Vanslyperken, who was now seized by the crowd, buffeted, and spit upon, and dragged to the parish pump, there being, fortunately for him, no horse-pond near. After having been well beaten, pelted with mud, his clothes torn off his back, his hat taken away and stamped upon, he was held under the pump and drenched for nearly half an hour, until he lay beneath the spout in a state of complete exhaustion. The crowd were then satisfied, and he was left to get away how he could, which he did, after a time, in a most deplorable plight, bare-headed, in his shirt and torn trousers. He contrived to walk as far as to the house where his mother resided, was admitted to her room, when he fell exhausted on the bed. The old woman was astonished: and having some gin in her cupboard, revived him by administering a small quantity, and, in the course of half an hour, Vanslyperken could tell his story; but all the consolation he received from the old beldame was, "Serve you right too, for being such an ass. I suppose you'll be bringing the stupid people about my ears soon--they've hooted me before now. Ah, well--I'll not be pumped upon for nothing--my knife is a sharp one."