How it happened no one could imagine.
But while the valiant Nettles was discoursing about and jeering the many stories about Death-wing’s gang——
A skeleton appeared, razor in hand, and seized Nettles by the hair of his head!
Beside him, and grinning most horribly, stood the black spectre of the Red Man of the Gibbet, sharpening a razor on a strop attached to the wall (see Engraving in No. 7), and preparing to shave his enemy, old Nettles, the terrified tavern keeper.
More dead than alive, Nettles shook in every limb.
The barber’s boy collapsed all of a heap upon the floor, and was howling like a mad dog.
“Shave him!” said the black spectre, in sepulchral tones.
Nettles was almost melted into a jelly.
He was in the hands of his worst enemies.
What became of him we shall shortly see.