And so my uncle hurried to the church, where he assumed his gown, and
the solemn rite proceeded.

When all was over, my uncle, after his wont, waited until he had seen
the disturbed remains re-deposited decently in their place; and then,
having disrobed, I saw him look with some interest about the
church-yard, and I knew 'twas in quest of the old soldier.

'I saw him go away during the funeral,' I said.

'Ay, the old pensioner,' said my uncle, peering about in quest of him.

And we walked through the town, and over the bridge, and we saw nothing
of his cocked hat and red single-breasted frock, and returned rather
disappointed to tea.

I ran into the back room which commanded the church-yard in the hope of
seeing the old fellow once more, with his cane shouldered, grinning
among the tombstones in the evening sun. But there was no sign of him,
or indeed of anyone else there. So I returned, just as my uncle, having
made the tea, shut down the lid of his silver tea-pot with a little
smack; and with a kind but absent smile upon me, he took his book, sat
down and crossed one of his thin legs over the other, and waited
pleasantly until the delightful infusion should be ready for our lips,
reading his old volume, and with his disengaged hand gently stroking his
long shin-bone.

In the meantime, I, who thirsted more for that tale of terror which the
old soldier had all but begun, of which in that strangely battered skull