Two of the skeletons pulled down the heaviest bell, and much of its slack rope was coiled on the floor. They held it down. “That bell is too heavy to swing up one,” said the chief. “Take the apothecary, and make a ‘sandwich’ of him and the lying clerk.” Much to the astonishment of all present, the clerk and the apothecary were placed back to back. The slack rope of the great bell was twisted and tied round their bodies, and fastened into a knot. At a given signal the two skeletons who held down the great bell let go the rope. Up went the two unfortunate devils, shouting at the top of their voices, and dangling in mid-air, like a couple of spiders on a single thread of web. In like manner all the rest were “sandwiched,” as it was called. Each rope was wound round the bodies of two at least. And there they hung, to the infinite amusement of their tormentors, writhing and groaning, their own weight drawing down the bells from time to time, and making the most horrible and discordant noises. Satisfied with this pleasant handiwork, the Skeleton Bell-ringers left the belfry; and the worthy villagers, fighting like cats tied on a clothes line, pulling each other about, and dancing a most painful hornpipe between the ceiling and floor to the inharmonious jangling of the bells, were left all alone in their glory. CHAPTER XVI. PHILLIP REDGILL IS FOUND TO BE NOT SO CLEVER AS HE CONSIDERED HIMSELF. Phillip Redgill next appears on the scene of our story in his father’s offices. His father was very rich, and had extensive dealings with ships and valuable merchandize in the City of London. He was a widower of nearly sixty summers, and had no child but Phillip. This youth had been well educated, and was allowed an ample income to live on. But he looked upon commerce as something degrading, and felt ashamed to own among the gay gallants of the town that he was anything less than a person of noble blood. His propensities for gambling had well nigh ruined his father more than once. But the fond old parent had overlooked his son’s misdemeanours very frequently. At last it was discovered that Phillip had so far forgotten himself as to forge his father’s name to certain heavy bills, and squandered the money on gay persons of the town. From that time forth a great coldness existed between father and son, and Phillip was told for the last time that he _must_ make his annual allowance suffice for his pleasures, and that should he again so disgrace the time-honoured name of Redgill, he would take the consequences, for the law should be enforced, which in those days was “death for forgery.” Phillip, however, had become so accustomed to high life about town, that he looked upon his father’s conduct as something very cruel, and resolved to rob him all he could rather than be lowered in the estimation of his “lordly” acquaintances. A libertine soon brings many a good and rich parent to ruin.