Mr Vanslyperken, surrounded now by furies rather than Bacchanalians kissed Mrs Salisbury.

"What in the world would you have me do, you she devils?" cried he at last, driven to desperation.

"This is language for a gentleman!" said Mrs Slamkoe.

"They shall make you do nothing more," replied Moggy. "I must retire, ladies--your freak's up. You know I never keep late hours. Ladies, I wish you all a very good night."

"Perhaps, Mr Vanslyperken, you would wish to go. I'll send for the woman of the house that you may settle the bill; I think you offered to treat the company?"

Vanslyperken grinned ghastly. The bell was rung, and while Mr Vanslyperken was pulling out the sum demanded by the landlady, the ladies all disappeared.

Vanslyperken put up his diminished purse. "There is your sword, Mr Vanslyperken," said Moggy; who, during the whole of the scene had kept up a _retenue_ very different from her usual manners.

Vanslyperken took his sword, and appeared to feel his courage return-- why not? he was armed, and in company with only one woman, and he sought revenge.

He rang the bell, and the landlady appeared.

"Landlady," cried Vanslyperken, "you'll send for a constable directly.

Obey me, or I'll put you down as a party to the robbery which has been committed. I say, a constable immediately. Refuse on your peril, woman; a king's officer has been robbed and ill-treated."

"Lauk-a-mercy! a constable, sir? I'm sure you've had a very pleasant jollification."

"Silence, woman; send for a constable immediately."

"Do you hear, Mrs Wilcox?" said Moggy, very quietly, "Mr Vanslyperken wants a constable. Send for one by all means."

"Oh! certainly, ma'am, if you wish it," said the landlady, quitting the room.

"Yes, you infamous woman, I'll teach you to rob and ill-treat people in this way."

"Mercy on me! Mr Vanslyperken, why, I never interfered."

"Ay, ay, that's all very well; but you'll tell another story when you're all before the authorities."

"Perhaps I shall," replied Moggy, carelessly. "But I shall now wish you a good evening, Mr Vanslyperken."

Thereupon Mr Vanslyperken very valorously drew his sword, and flourished it over his head. "You don't pass here, Mrs Salisbury.

No--no--it's my turn now."

"Your turn now, you beast!" retorted Moggy. "Why, if I wished to pass, this poker would soon clear the way; but I can pass without that, and I will give you the countersign. Hark! a word in your ear, you wretch.

You are in my power. You have sent for a constable, and I swear by my own Jemmy's little finger, which is worth your old shrivelled carcase, that I shall give you in charge of the constable."

"Me!" exclaimed Vanslyperken.

"Yes, you,--you wretch--you scum. Now I am going, stop me if you dare.

Walls have ears, so I'll whisper. If you wish to send a constable after me, you'll find me at the house of the Jew Lazarus. Do you understand?"

Vanslyperken started back as if an adder had come before him, his sword dropped out of his hand, he stood transfixed.

"May I go now, Mr Vanslyperken, or am I to wait for the constable?

Silence gives consent," continued Moggy, making a mock courtesy, and walking out of the room.

For a minute, Vanslyperken remained in the same position. At last, bursting with his feelings, he snatched up his sword, put it into the sheath, and was about to quit the room, when in came the landlady with the constable.

"You vants me, sir?" said the man.

"I did," stammered Vanslyperken, "but she is gone."

"I must be paid for my trouble, sir, if you please."

Vanslyperken had again to pull out his purse; but this time he hardly felt the annoyance, for in his mind's eye his neck was already in the halter. He put the money into the man's hand without speaking, and then left the room, the landlady courtesying very low, and hoping that she soon should again have the pleasure of his company at the Wheatsheaf.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

IN WHICH SNARLEYYOW AGAIN TRIUMPHS OVER HIS ENEMIES.

But we must return to the cabin, and state what took place during this long absence of the commander, who had gone on shore about three o'clock, and had given directions for his boat to be at the Point at sunset. There had been a council of war held on the forecastle, in which Corporal Van Spitter and Smallbones were the most prominent; and the meeting was held to debate whether they should or should not make one more attempt to destroy the dog; singular that the arguments and observations very nearly coincided with those mane use of by Vanslyperken and his mother, when they debated how to get rid of Smallbones.

"Water won't touch him, I sees that," observed Smallbones.

"No. Mein Gott, das was to trow time and de trouble away," replied the corporal.

"Hanging's just as natural a death for a cur," observed Spurey.

"Yes," observed Short.

"I'm a-feared that the rope's not laid that's to hang that animal,"

observed Coble, shaking his head. "If water won't do, I'm persuaded nothing will, for did not they use, in former days, today all spirits in the Red Sea?"

"Yes," quoth Short.

"But he ban't a spirit yet," replied Smallbones; "he be flesh and blood o' some sort. If I gets fairly rid of his body, damn his soul, I say; he may keep that and welcome."

"But then, you know, he'll haunt us just as much as ever--we shall see him here just the same."

"A spirit is only a spirit," observed Smallbones; "he may live in the cabin all day and night afore I care; but, d'ye see, there's a great difference between the ghost of a dog and the dog himself."

"Why, if the beast ar'n't natural, I can't see much odds," observed Spurey.

"But I can't feel 'em," replied Smallbones. "This here dog has a-bitten me all to bits, but a ghost of a dog can't bite, anyhow."

"No," replied Short.

"And now, d'ye see, as Obadiah Coble has said as how spirits must be laid, I think if we were to come for to go for to lay this here hanimal in the cold hearth, he may perhaps not be able to get up again."

"That's only a perhaps," observed Coble.