"That's the question," rejoined Spurey.

"It appears to me that he must have had a touch of conscience," said Coble.

"Or else he must have seen a ghost," replied Smallbones.

"I've heard of ghosts ashore, and sometimes on board of a ship, but I never heard of a ghost in a jolly-boat," said Coble, spitting under the gun.

"Specially when there were hardly room for the corporal," added Spurey.

"Yes," observed Short.

"Well, we shall know something about it to-night, for the corporal and I am to have a palaver."

"Mind he don't circumwent you, Jimmy," said Spurey.

"It's my opinion," said Smallbones, "that he must be in real arnest, otherwise he would not ha' come for to go for to give me a glass of grog--there's no gammon in that;--and such a real stiff 'un too,"

continued Smallbones, who licked his lips at the bare remembrance of the unusual luxury.

"True," said Short.

"It beats my comprehension altogether out of nothing," observed Spurey.

"There's something very queer in the wind. I wonder where the corporal has been all this while."

"Wait till this evening," observed Jemmy Ducks; and, as this was very excellent advice, it was taken, and the parties separated.

In the despatches it had been requested, as important negotiations were going on, that the cutter might return immediately, as there were other communications to make to the States General on the part of the King of England; and a messenger now informed Vanslyperken that he might sail as soon as he pleased, as there was no reply to the despatches he had conveyed. This was very agreeable to Vanslyperken, who was anxious to return to the fair widow at Portsmouth, and also to avoid the Frau Vandersloosh. At dusk, he manned his boat and went on shore to the French agent, who had also found out that the cutter was ordered to return, and had his despatches nearly ready. Vanslyperken waited about an hour; when all was complete he received them, and then returned on board.

As soon as he had quitted the vessel, Corporal Van Spitter went to Jemmy Ducks, and without letting him know how matters stood on shore, told him that he was convinced that Vanslyperken had sent him into the boat on purpose to lose him, and that the reason was, that he, Van Spitter, knew secrets which would at any time hang the lieutenant. That, in consequence, he had determined upon revenge, and in future would be heart and hand with the ship's company; but that to secure their mutual object, it would be better that he should appear devoted to Vanslyperken as before, and at variance with the ship's company.

Now Jemmy, who was with all his wits at work, knew that it was Smallbones who cut the corporal adrift; but that did not alter the case, as the corporal did not know it. It was therefore advisable to leave him in that error. But he required proofs of the corporal's sincerity, and he told him so.

"Mein Gott! what proof will you have? De proof of de pudding is in de eating."

"Well, then," replied Jemmy, "will you shy the dog overboard?"

"Te tog?--in one minute--and de master after him."

Whereupon Corporal Van Spitter went down into the cabin, which Vanslyperken, trusting to his surveillance, had left unlocked, and seizing the cur by the neck, carried him on deck, and hurled him several yards over the cutter's quarter.

"Mein Gott! but dat is well done," observed Jansen.

"And he'll not come back wid de tide. I know de tide, mein Gott!"

observed the corporal, panting with the exertion.

But here the corporal was mistaken. Snarleyyow did not make for the vessel, but for the shore, and they could not in the dark ascertain what became of him; neither was the tide strong, for the flood was nearly over; the consequence was, that the dog gained the shore, and landed at the same stairs where the boats land. The men were not in the boat, but waiting at a beer-shop a little above, which Vanslyperken must pass when he came down again. Recognising the boat, the cur leapt into it, and after a good shaking under the thwarts, crept forward to where the men had thrown their pea jackets under the bow-sheets, curled himself up, and went to sleep.

Shortly afterwards the lieutenant came down with the men, and rowed on board; but the dog, which, exhausted with his exertion, was very comfortable where he was, did not come out, but remained in his snug berth.

The lieutenant and men left the boat when they arrived on board, without discovering that the dog was a passenger. About ten minutes after the lieutenant had come on board, Snarleyyow jumped on deck, but, as all the men were forward in close consultation, and, in anticipation of Mr Vanslyperken's discovery of his loss, the dog gained the cabin, unperceived not only by the ship's company, but by Vanslyperken, who was busy locking up the letters entrusted to him by the French agent.

Snarleyyow took his station under the table, and lay down to finish his nap, where we must leave him for the present in a sound sleep; and his snoring very soon reminded Vanslyperken of what he had, for a short time, unheeded, that his favourite was present.

"Well, it's very odd," observed Spurey, "that he has been on board nearly half an hour, and not discovered that his dog is absent without leave."

"Yes," said Short.

"I know for why, mein Gott!" exclaimed the corporal, who shook his head very knowingly.

"The corporal knows why," observed Jemmy Ducks.

"Then why don't he say why?" retorted Bill Spurey, who was still a little suspicious of the corporal's fidelity.

"Because Mynheer Vanslyperken count his money--de guineas," replied the corporal, writhing at the idea of what he had lost by his superior's interference.

"Ho, ho! his money; well, that's a good reason, for he would skin a flint if he could," observed Coble; "but that can't last for ever."

"That depends how often he may count it over," observed Jemmy Ducks--"but there's his bell;" and soon after Corporal Van Spitter's name was passed along the decks, to summon him into the presence of his commanding officer.

"Now for a breeze," said Coble, hitching up his trousers.

"Yes," replied Short.

"For a regular _shindy_," observed Spurey.

"Hell to pay and no pitch hot," added Jemmy, laughing; and they all remained in anxious expectation of the corporal's return.

Corporal Van Spitter had entered the cabin with the air of the profoundest devotion and respect--had raised his hand up as usual, but before the hand had arrive its destination, he beheld Vanslyperken seated on the locker, patting the head of Snarleyyow, as if nothing had happened. At this unexpected resuscitation, the corporal uttered a tremendous "Mein Gott!" and burst, like a mad bull, out of the cabin, sweeping down all who obstructed has passage on the lower deck, till he arrived at the fore-ladder, which he climbed up with tottering knees, and then sank down on the forecastle at the feet of Jemmy Ducks.

"Mein Gott, mein Gott, mein Gott!" exclaimed the corporal, putting his hands to his eyes as if to shut out the horrid vision.

"What the devil is the matter?" exclaimed Coble.

"Ah! mein Gott, mein Gott!"

As it was evident that something uncommon had happened, they all now crowded round the corporal, who, by degrees, recovered himself.

"What is it, corporal?" inquired Jemmy Ducks.

Before the corporal could reply, Smallbones, who had been summoned to the cabin on account of the corporal's unaccountable exit, sprang up the ladder with one bound, his hair flying, his eyes goggling, and his mouth wide open: lifting his hands over his head, and pausing as if for breath, exclaimed with a solemn, sepulchral voice, "By all the devils in hell he's com again!"

"Who?" exclaimed several voices at once.

"Snarleyyow," replied Smallbones, mournfully.

"Yes--mein Gott!" exclaimed Corporal Van Spitter, attempting to rise on his legs.

"Whew!" whistled Jemmy Ducks--but nobody else uttered a sound; they all looked at one another, some with compressed lips, others with mouths open. At last one shook his head--then another. The corporal rose on his feet and shook himself like an elephant.

"Dat tog is de tyfel's imp, and dat's de end on it," said he, with alarm still painted on his countenance.