Besides the clerk and his friends, there were numerous others, who left their warm beds intent upon finding out the cause of all this strange and startling disturbance. Straightway this valiant band of villagers proceeded towards the church, and could plainly see lights in the belfry, and the reflection of persons against the windows and through the lattice-work. Mr. Clerk led the way up the narrow winding stairs of stone, and, if it must be confessed, swearing the while most lustily against the “impudent varlets” who thus disturbed the peace. He had not gone far up the stairs when the ringing ceased. All lights were suddenly extinguished in the belfry. This was a good sign, the clerk thought, and grasped his thick stick with vigour. With a loud shout, he and the others rushed into the ringers’ room, lanterns in hand. At that moment the bells, this time unmuffled, gave out a most horrible, clanging sound. The clerk started back in fright towards the door, and hastily turned on his light. He and the rest groaned most dolefully, for, there, standing before them, were eight Skeletons, each with a rope in his hand, and, while pulling away most vigorously, grinned most diabolically at the intruders. The clerk and his friends would have given all the money in Walton to have been a mile or more away. But there they were, unable to stir, wriggling and writhing, and knowing not which way to retreat, or what to do. “Oh! mercy on us,” said the clerk, almost distilled to a jelly. “Why, it’s some of the Skeleton Crew; they have changed from a funeral to a joy peal.” “What can all this horrid thing mean?” said another. “Mean? Ha! ha!” gruffly laughed one of the skeletons, in a voice that made the entrapped villagers quake again. “Mean, eh? Why, it means that we are so glad to see you, that’s all. We wanted some amusement.” “What can these monsters mean or intend to do?” sighed the clerk, who much wished to get away if he could. “Mean? intend?” repeated the horrible voice again. “Why, it means that we intend to celebrate Lady Julia’s marriage with our great chief, Death-wing, and will do honour to the event by hanging every mother’s son of you!” Dismal groans were now heard on all sides. Some began to gasp from fear. Others fell to praying. But the Skeleton Bell-ringers were as good as their word, as we shall see. They stopped pealing the bells, and glared most hideously at their intended victims. “So you came here with stout cudgels in your hands, did you, and intended to give us all a good sound thrashing, I dare say?” “Not me.” “Nor me.” “I hadn’t the remotest idea of any such thing, most august and ghostly strangers,” chimed in the terrified clerk, as his legs almost gave way from under him. “As we know you are lying, parson’s man as you are, why, you might as well come forward first. We intend to make an example of.” The poor clerk was dragged out from among his fellows.