They floated: and by the sheen of the foam I beheld two skelingtons sitting in their coffins, scudding against wind and tide right out to sea, slashing through the great breakers as if they had no more weight or power than mists. Dutchy’s skelington arm was round where his companion’s waist ought to have been, when I last saw them, as they burst through a big old roller that would have sunk a billyboy schooner. Where they were bound for goodness only knows; neither do I care. All I know is, that I got home some time or other, for when I woke up the week after, they told me I was better, and that I had had brain fever. When I got well, I went to Eccles to see if what I had got into my brainpan was all moonshine or no, but if you’ll believe my word, the two coffins I had seen dug up by Dutchy were gone sure enough, which I take it proves my story to be ker-rect. * * * * * My nautical friend, on leaving my van, had not the remotest notion that he had told me a story, and as to my being able to send him to sleep, why, he simply laughed at such a thing as an impossibility. In his normal condition I tried in vain to draw him out to spin a yarn, but although he owned that he knew some “real rum ’uns,” I could not prevail on him to tell me one. He merely sat and smoked, and did little more than carry on a disjointed monosyllabic conversation. “Why will you not spin me a yarn, my friend?” I asked. “Why, sir, you see,” said he, “I ain’t no scholard, and although I may _think_ a great deal, I’m no sort o’ hand at _talking_. I never could frame[17] enough to tell anything in a kinder pretty way like some folks. No, sir, you don’t ketch me opening my mouth to be papered [put in print] for gentlefolks to laugh and make game of me.” That being so, I had no alternative but to make him a victim, with the result chronicled above. EXPLANATION OF NORFOLK WORDS. [1] holl, _a ditch_. [2] deek, _a hedge-bank_. [3] loke, _a lane_. [4] pawkin, _hunting for wreckage_. [5] danto, _a fishing-buoy_. [6] stammed, _astonished_. [7] dickey, _a donkey_. [8] goldering, _chatting_. [9] poke, _a bag or sack_. [10] dole, _a share_. [11] mander, _manner_. [12] dudder, _to shiver_. [13] marrams, _grass-covered sandhills_. [14] mawther, _a maid, a young girl_. [15] largesse, _a gift_. [16] dullor, _a distracting noise_. [17] frame, _to use big words_. VIII. INTRODUCTION TO “THE MONK’S PENANCE.”