



Produced by David Widger




SAILORS' KNOTS

By W.W. Jacobs


1909



"THE TOLL-HOUSE"


"It's all nonsense," said Jack Barnes.  "Of course people have died in the
house; people die in every house.  As for the noises--wind in the chimney
and rats in the wainscot are very convincing to a nervous man.  Give me
another cup of tea, Meagle."

"Lester and White are first," said Meagle, who was presiding at the
tea-table of the Three Feathers Inn.  "You've had two."

Lester and White finished their cups with irritating slowness, pausing
between sips to sniff the aroma, and to discover the sex and dates of
arrival of the "strangers" which floated in some numbers in the beverage.
Mr. Meagle served them to the brim, and then, turning to the grimly
expectant Mr. Barnes, blandly requested him to ring for hot water.

"We'll try and keep your nerves in their present healthy condition," he
remarked.  "For my part I have a sort of half-and-half belief in the
super-natural."

"All sensible people have," said Lester.  "An aunt of mine saw a ghost
once."

White nodded.

"I had an uncle that saw one," he said.

"It always is somebody else that sees them," said Barnes.

"Well, there is a house," said Meagle, "a large house at an absurdly low
rent, and nobody will take it.  It has taken toll of at least one life of
every family that has lived there--however short the time--and since it
has stood empty caretaker after care-taker has died there.  The last
caretaker died fifteen years ago."

"Exactly," said Barnes.  "Long enough ago for legends to accumulate."

"I'll bet you a sovereign you won