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Vanslyperken rose to depart; he was anxious to be aboard. 'Go, child, go. I have hopes of you-you have murdered, have you not?"

"No, no," replied Vanslyperken, "he lives yet.”

"Then try again. At all events, you have wished to murder, and you have sold your country for gold. Cornelius Vanslyperken, by the hatred I bear the whole world, I feel that I almost love you now:-I see you are my own child. Now go, and mind to-morrow you bring the gold."

Vanslyperken quitted the house, and walked down_to_go_on board again; the loss of the fair widow, all his hopes dashed at once to the ground, his having neglected the widow Vandersloosh, and sent her an insulting message, had only the effect of raising his bile. He vowed vengeance against everybody. and everything, especially against Smallbones, whom he was determined he would sacrifice: murder now was no longer horrible to his ideas; on the contrary, there was a pleasure in meditating upon it, and the loss of the expected fortune of the fair Mrs. Malcolm only made him more eager to obtain gold, and he contemplated treason as the means of so doing without any feelings of compunction.

On his arrival on board, he found an order from the Admiralty to discharge James Salisbury. This added to his choler and his meditations of revenge. Jemmy Ducks had not been forgotten; and he determined not to make known the order until he had punished him for his mutinous expressions; but Moggy had come on board during his absence, and delivered to her husband the letter from the Admiralty notifying his discharge. Vansly perken sent for Corporal Van Spitter to consult, but the corporal informed him that Jemmy Ducks knew of his discharge. Vanslyperken's anger was now without bounds. He hastened on deck, and ordered the hands to be turned up for punishment, but Corporal Van Spitter hastened to give warning to Jemmy, who did not pipe the hands when ordered.

"Where is that scoundrel, James Salisbury?" cried Vanslyperken.

"Here is James Salisbury," replied Jemmy, coming aft. "Turn the hands up for punishment, sir.'

"I don't belong to the vessel," replied Jemmy, going forward.

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Corporal Van Spitter-where is Corporal Van Spitter ?" "Here, sir," said the corporal, coming up the hatchway in a pretended bustle.

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Bring that man, Salisbury, aft."

"Yes, sir," replied the corporal, going forward with assumed

eagerness.

But all the ship's company had resolved that this act of injustice should not be done. Salisbury was no longer in the service; and although they knew the corporal to be on their

side they surrounded Jemmy on the forecastle, and the corporal came aft, declaring that he could not get near the prisoner. As he made this report a loud female voice was heard alongside.

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So, you'd flog my Jemmy, would you, you varmint? But you won't though; he's not in the service, and you sha'n't touch him; but I'll tell you what, keep yourself on board, Mr. Leeftenant, for if I cotches you on shore, I'll make you sing in a way you don't think on. Yes, flog my Jemmy, my dear, darling duck of a Jemmy-stop a minute-I'm coming aboard."

Suiting the action to the word, for the sailors had beckoned to Moggy to come on board, she boldly pulled alongside, and skipping over, she went up direct to Mr. Vanslyperken. "I'll just trouble you for my husband, and no mistake," cried Moggy.

"Corporal Van Spitter, turn that woman out of the ship." "Turn me, a lawful married woman, who comes arter my own husband with the orders of your masters, Mr. Leeftenant! -I'd like to see the man. I axes you for my Jemmy, and I'll trouble you just to hand him here-if not, look out for squalls, that's all. I demand my husband in the king's name, so just hand him over," continued Moggy, putting her nose so close to that of Mr. Vanslyperken that they nearly touched, and then, after a few seconds' pause, for Vanslyperken could not speak for rage, she added," Well, you're a nice leeftenant, I don't think.

"Send for your marines, Corporal Van Spitter."

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"I have, Mynheer Vanslyperken," replied the corporal, standing erect and saluting; and if you please, sir, they have joined the ship's company. You and I, mynheer, are left to ourselves."

"I'll just trouble you for my little duck of a husband," repeated Moggy. Vanslyperken was at a nonplus. The crew were in a state of mutiny, the marines had joined them-what could he do? To appeal to the higher authorities would be committing himself, for he knew that he could not flog a man who no longer belonged to the vessel.

"I wants my husband," repeated Moggy, putting her arms a-kimbo.

Mr. Vanslyperken made no reply. The corporal waited for orders, and Moggy waited for her husband.

Just at this moment, Snarleyyow, who had followed his master on deck, had climbed up the small ladder, and was looking over the gunwale on the side where the boat lay in which Moggy came on board. Perceiving this, with the quickness of thought she ran at the dog and pushed him over the side into the boat, in which he fell with a heavy bound; she then descended the side, ordered the man to shove off, and

kept at a short distance from the cutter with the dog in her possession.

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Now, now," cried Moggy, slapping her elbow, "hav'n't I got the dog, and won't I cut him up into sassingers, and eat him in the bargain, if you won't give me my dear, darling Jemmy, and all his papers, in the bargain?"

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Man the boat," cried Vanslyperken. But no one would obey the order.

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"Look here," cried Moggy, flourishing a knife which she had borrowed from the man in the boat. This is for the cur; and unless you let my Jemmy go, ay, and directly too Mercy, woman!" exclaimed Vanslyperken. Do not harm the poor dog, and your husband shall go on shore.' "With his papers all ready to receive his pay ?” inquired Moggy.

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Yes, with his papers and everything, if you'll not harm the poor beast.'

"Be quick about them, for my fingers are itching, I can tell you," replied Moggy. Recollect, I will have my Jemmy, and cut the dog's throat in the bargain, if you don't look sharp.'

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Directly, good woman, directly," cried Vanslyperken: "be patient.'

"Good woman! no more a good woman than yourself," replied Moggy.

Vanslyperken desired the corporal to see Jemmy Ducks in the boat, and went down into the cabin to sign his pay order. He then returned, for he was dreadfully alarmed lest Moggy should put her threats into execution.

Jemmy's chest and hammocks were in the boat. He shook hands with his shipmates, and receiving the papers and his discharge from Corporal Van Spitter, and exchanging an intelligent glance with him, he went down the side. The boat pulled round the stern to take in Moggy, who then ordered the waterman to put the dog on board again.

My word's as good as my bond," observed Moggy, as she stepped into the other boat, "and so there's your cur again, Mr. Leeftenant; but mark my words: I owe you one, and I'll pay you with interest before I have done with you.'

Jemmy then raised his pipe to his lips, and sounded its loudest note: the men gave him three cheers, and Mr. Vansly perken, in a paroxysm of fury, ran down into his cabin.

CHAPTER XXV.

IN WHICH MR. YANSLYPERKEN PROVES THAT HE HAS A GREAT AVERSION TO COLD STEEL.

MR. VANSLYPERKEN had been so much upset by the events of the day, that he had quite forgotten to deliver the letters entrusted to him to the care of the Jew Lazarus; weighty indeed must have been the events which could have prevented him from going to receive money.

He threw himself on his bed with combined feelings of rage and mortification, and slept a feverish sleep in his clothes.

His dreams were terrifying, and he awoke in the morning unrefreshed. The mutiny and defection of the ship's company, he ascribed entirely to the machinations of Smallbones, whom he now hated with a feeling so intense, that he felt he could haye murdered him in the open day. Such were the first impulses that his mind resorted to upon his waking, and after some little demur, he sent for Corporal Van Spitter, to consult with him. The corporal made his appearance, all humility and respect, and was again sounded as to what could be done with Smallbones, Vanslyperken hinting very clearly what his wishes tended to.

Corporal Van Spitter, who had made up his mind how to act after their previous conference, hummed and ha'ed, and appeared unwilling to enter upon the subject, until he was pushed by his commandant, when the corporal observed there was something very strange about the lad, and hinted at his being sent in the cutter on purpose to annoy his superior.

"That on that night upon which he had stated that he had seen the devil three times, once it was sitting on the head-clue of Smallbones's hammock, and at another time that he was evidently in converse with the lad, and that there were strange stories among the ship's company, who considered that both Smallbones and the dog were supernatural agents.'

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My dog-Snarleyyow-a-what do you mean, corporal?" The corporal then told Mr. Vanslyperken that he had discovered that several attempts had been made to drown the dog, but without success; and that among the rest, he had been thrown by Smallbones into the canal, tied up in a bread-bag, and had miraculously made his appearance again.

"The villain!" exclaimed Vanslyperken. "That then was the paving-stone. Now I've found it out, I'll cut his very soul out of his body.'

But the corporal protested against open measures, as, although it was known by his own confession to be the case, it could not be proved, as none of the men would tell.

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'Besides, he did not think that any further attempts would be made, as Smallbones had been heard to laugh and say, 'that water would never hurt him or the dog,' which observation of the lad's had first made the ship's company suspect.' Very true," exclaimed Vanslyperken; "he floated out to the Nab buoy and back again, when I

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Here Mr. Vanslyperken stopped short, and he felt a dread of supernatural powers in the lad, when he thought of what had passed and what he now heard.

"So they think my dog

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“De tyfel,” replied the corporal.

Vanslyperken was not very sorry for this, as it would be the dog's protection; but at the same time he was not at all easy about Smallbones; for Mr. Vanslyperken, as we have observed before, was both superstitious and cowardly.

"Water won't hurt him, did you say, corporal ?”

"Yes, mynheer."

"Then I'll try what a pistol will do, by heavens!" replied Vanslyperken. "He threw my dog into the canal, and I'll be revenged, if revenge is to be had. That will do, corporal, you may go now,' continued Vanslyperken, who actually foamed with rage.

The corporal left the cabin, and it having occurred to Vanslyperken that he had not delivered the letters, he dressed himself to go on shore.

After having once more read through the letter of the fair widow, which, at the same time that it crushed all his hopes, from its kind tenour poured some balm into his wounded heart, he sighed, folded it up, put it away, and went on deck.

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Pipe the gig away," said Mr. Vanslyperken.
No pipe," replied Short.

This reminded Mr. Vanslyperken that Jemmy Ducks had left the ship, and vexed him again. He ordered the word to be passed to the boat's crew, and when it was manned he went on shore. As soon as he arrived at the house of Lazarus, he knocked, but it was some time before he was admitted, and the chain was still kept on the door, which was opened two inches to allow a scrutiny previous to entrance.

"Ah! it vash you, vash it, good sar? you may come in," said the Jew.

Vanslyperken walked into the parlour, where he found seated a young man of very handsome exterior, dressed according to the fashion of the cavaliers of the time. His hat, with a plume of black feathers, lay upon the table. This personage continued in his careless and easy position without rising when Vanslyperken entered, neither did he ask him to sit down.

"You are the officer of the cutter?" inquired the young man, with an air of authority not very pleasing to the lieutenant.

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