ickwithsand,andso,scramblingdown,Jacobwasabouttojump,holdinghisbucketinfrontofhim,whenhesaw,stretchedentirelyrigid,sidebyside,theirfacesveryred,anenormousmanandwoman.
Anenormousmanandwoman(itwasearly-closingday)werestretchedmotionless,withtheirheadsonpocket-handkerchiefs,sidebyside,withinafewfeetofthesea,whiletwoorthreegullsgracefullyskirtedtheincomingwaves,andsettledneartheirboots.
ThelargeredfaceslyingonthebandannahandkerchiefsstaredupatJacob.Jacobstareddownatthem.Holdinghisbucketverycarefully,Jacobthenjumpeddeliberatelyandtrottedawayverynonchalantlyatfirst,butfasterandfasterasthewavescamecreaminguptohimandhehadtoswervetoavoidthem,andthegullsroseinfrontofhimandfloatedoutandsettledagainalittlefartheron.Alargeblackwomanwassittingonthesand.Herantowardsher.
"Nanny!Nanny!"hecried,sobbingthewordsoutonthecrestofeachgaspingbreath.
Thewavescameroundher.Shewasarock.Shewascoveredwiththeseaweedwhichpopswhenitispressed.Hewaslost.
Therehestood.Hisfacecomposeditself.Hewasabouttoroarwhen,lyingamongtheblacksticksandstrawunderthecliff,hesawawholeskull—perhapsacow'sskull,askull,perhaps,withtheteethinit.Sobbing,butabsent-mindedly,heranfartherandfartherawayuntilheheldtheskullinhisarms.
"Thereheis!"criedMrs.Flanders,comingroundtherockandcoveringthewholespaceofthebeachinafewseconds."Whathashegotholdof?Putitdown,Jacob!Dropitthismoment!Somethinghorrid,Iknow.Whydidn'tyoustaywithus?Naughtylittleboy!Nowputitdown.Nowcomealongbothofyou,"andshesweptround,holdingArcherbyonehandandfumblingforJacob'sarmwiththeother.Butheduckeddownandpickedupthesheep'sjaw,whichwasloose.
Swingingherbag,clutchingherparasol,holdingArcher'shand,andtellingthestoryofthegunpowderexplosioninwhichpoorMr.Curnowhadlosthiseye,Mrs.Flandershurriedupthesteeplane,awareallthetimeinthedepthsofhermindofsomeburieddiscomfort.
Thereonthesandnotfarfromtheloverslaytheoldsheep'sskullwithoutitsjaw.Clean,white,wind-swept,sand-rubbed,amoreunpollutedpieceofboneexistednowhereonthecoast