So saying, Mr. Vanslyperken, with Snarleyyow at his heels, went down into the cabin-undressed in the dark, for he would not let any one know that he was on board. It being about three o'clock in the morning, and Mr. Vanslyperken being well tired with the events of the day, he was soon in a sound sleep. There will be no difficulty in accounting for the return of the dog, which had a skull much thicker than even the corporal's. He had been stunned with the heavy blows, but not killed. After a certain time he came to himself in his bed of leaves, first scratched with one paw, and then with another, till his senses returned: he rose, worked his way out, and lay down to sleep. After he had taken a long nap, he rose recovered, shook himself, and trotted down to the beach, but the boat had shoved off, and the cur had remained there waiting for an opportunity to get on board, when his master came down with the same object in view.

But as every soul is fast asleep, we shall now finish the chapter.

CHAPTER XXXII.

LISTENERS NEVER HEAR ANY GOOD OF THEMSELVES.

VANSLYPERKEN was awakened three hours after he had fallen asleep by the noise of the buckets washing the decks. He heard the men talking on deck, and aware that no one knew that he was on board, he rose from his bed, and opened one of the sliding sashes of the skylight, that he might overhear the conversation. The first words he heard were from Bill Spurey.

"I say, Coble, I wonder what the skipper will say when he comes on board, and finds that the dog is gone?"

"Hoh! hoh!" thought Vanslyperken.

"I ar'n't convinced that he is gone yet," replied Coble. "Smallbones swears that he's settled this time," replied Spurey.

"So he did before," replied Coble.

"Smallbones again," thought Vanslyperken. “I'll—Smallbones him, if I hang for it."

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Why, he says he buried him two feet deep."

"Ay, ay; but what's the use of burying an animal who's

not a human creature? For my part, I say this, that the imp belongs to his master, and is bound to serve him as long as his master lives. When he dies, the dog may be killed, and

then

"Then what?"

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Why, with the blessing of God, they'll both go to hell together, and I don't care how soon.

Kill me, you old villain !" muttered Vanslyperken, grinding his teeth.

"Well, any how, if the dog be not made away with, no more be Smallbones. He ar'n't afeard of the devil himself."

"No, not he; I'm of opinion Smallbones wa'n't sent here for nothing.'

"He's escaped him twice, at all events."

"Then they know it," thought Vanslyperken, turning pale. "Ay, and I will take you any bet you please, that the skipper never takes that boy's life. He's charmed, or I am a gudgeon.

Vanslyperken felt that it was his own suspicion, and he trembled at the idea of the lad being supernatural.

"Out of the way, Coble, or I'll fill your shoes," cried out one of the men, slashing a bucket of water.

"That's not quite so easy, 'cause I've got boots on,” replied Coble. However, I'll take up another berth."

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The men walked away, and Vanslyperken could hear no more; but he had heard quite enough. The life of the dog had been attempted by Smallbones, it was evident. Mr. Vanslyperken, after a little agitation, rang the bell.

By all that's blue, the skipper's on board!" exclaimed the men on deck.

66 When the devil did he come?"

"Not in my watch, at all events," replied Coble. "Did he come in yours, Short?"

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No," replied Short.

"Then it must have been in the corporal's."

"The corporal never called me, nor was he on deck," replied Coble. I've a notion he never kept his watch."

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The ring at the bell particularly concerned two people, the two culprits, Smallbones and Corporal Van Spitter.

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The latter made his appearance; but previous to his answering the bell, Mr. Vanslyperken had time to reflect. "So they think my dog is supernatural," said he; so much the better. I'll make them believe it still more.' Mr. Vanslyperken called the dog, and pointed to his bed. The dog, who was fond of a warm berth, and but seldom allowed to get on the bed, immediately jumped up into it when invited, and Mr. Vanslyperken patted him, and covered him up with the bedclothes. He then drew the curtains of the bed, and waited to see who would answer the bell. Corporal Van Spitter made his appearance.

"Corporal, I came on board very late, where have you put the dog? Bring him into the cabin."

Here the corporal, who was prepared, shook his head, smoothed down the hair of his forehead, and made a very melancholy face.

"It was all my fault, Mynheer Vanslyperken; yet I do for the best, but te tog be lost."

"How is that, corporal?"

The corporal then stated that he had taken the precaution to take the dog on shore, as he was afraid to leave it on board when he went to the washerwoman's, and that he was not long there, but while he was, the dog disappeared. He had looked everywhere, but could not find it.

"You took Smallbones with you?" said Vanslyperken. "Yes, mynheer, to carry de linen."

"And where was he when you were at the washerwoman's."

"He was here and dere."

"I know that it was he who killed and buried the dog, corporal."

Corporal Van Spitter started: he thought he was discovered. "Kilt and perryed! mein Gott!" said the corporal, obliged to say something.

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Yes, I overheard the men say so on deck, corporal. He must have taken the opportunity when you were in the house counting the linen."

Now the corporal had time to recover himself, and he argued that any thing was better than that he should be suspected. Smallbones was already known to have attempted the life of the dog, so he would leave the lieutenant in his error.

"Mein Gott! he is von d-d kill-dog feller," observed the corporal. "I look everywhere, I no find te tog. Den de tog is dead ?"

Yes," replied Vanslyperken, "but I'll punish the scoundrel, depend upon it. That will do, corporal; you may

go.

As Snarleyyow remained perfectly quiet during this conversation, we must give Vanslyperken great credit for his manœuvre. The corporal went to Smallbones, and repeated what had passed. Smallbones snapped his fingers.

"He may keel-haul, or hang me, for all I care. The dog is dead. Never fear, corporal, I won't peach upon you. I'm game, and I'll die so-if so be I must."

Vanslyperken sent for Smallbones. Smallbones, who was worked up to the highest state of excitement, came in boldly. "So you villain, you've killed my dog, and buried it."

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No, I ar'n't," replied Smallbones. "I knows nothing + your dog, sir."

the men on deck said so, you scoundrel-I heard

"I don't care what the men say; I never killed your dog, sir.'

"You rascal, I'll have your life!" exclaimed Vanslyperken. Smallbones grinned diabolically, and Vanslyperken, who remembered all that the men had said in confirmation of his own opinion relative to Smallbones, turned pale. Smallbones, on his part, aware from Corporal Van Spitter, that the lieutenant had such an idea, immediately took advantage of the signs in the lieutenant's countenance, and drawled out,― "That's-not-so-easy!"

Vanslyperken turned away. "You may go now, sir, but depend upon it you shall feel my vengeance!" and Smallbones quitted the cabin.

Vanslyperken finished his toilet, and then turned the dog out of the bed.

He went on deck, and after he had walked a little while, sent for Corporal Van Spitter to consult as to the best method of ascertaining what had become of Snarleyyow. Having entered apparently very earnestly into the corporal's arrangements, who was to go on shore immediately, he desired the corporal to see his breakfast got ready in the cabin.

It so happened, that the corporal went into the cabin, followed by Smallbones: the first object that met his view, was Snarleyyow, sitting upon the chest, scratching his ragged ear as if nothing had happened.

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Gott in himmel!" roared the corporal, turning back, and running out of the cabin, upsetting Smallbones, whom he met in the passage, and trotting, like an elephant, right over him. Nor was Smallbones the only one who suffered; two marines and three seamen were successively floored by the corporal, who, blinded with fear, never stopped till he ran his head butt against the lining in the fore peak of the cutter, which, with the timbers of the vessel, brought him up, not all standing, in one sense of the word, for in his mad career his head was dashed so violently against them, that the poor corporal fell down, stunned to insensibility.

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In the meantime Smallbones had gained his feet, and was rubbing his ribs, to ascertain if they were all whole. Well, I'm sure," said he, “if I arn't flattened for all the world like a pancake, with that 'ere corporal's weight. One may as well have a broad-wheel waggon at once go over one's body; but what could make him come for to go to run away bellowing in that 'ere manner? He must have seen the devil; or, perhaps," thought Smallbones, "that imp of the devil, Snarleyyow. I'll go and see what it was, anyhow."

Smallbones, rubbing his abdomen, where the corporal had trod hardest, walked into the cabin, where he beheld the dog. He stood with his mouth wide open.

"I defy the devil and all his works," exclaimed he, at last "and you be one of his, that's sartin. I fear God,

N

a

honour the king, and the parish taught me to read the Bible. There you be resurrectioned up again. Well, it's no use, I suppose. Satan, I defy you, anyhow; but it's very hard that a good Christian should have to get the breakfast ready, of which you'll eat one half: I don't see why I'm to wait upon the devil or his imps."

Then Smallbones stopped, and thought a little. "I wonder whether he bee'd dead, as I thought. Master came on board last night without no one knowing nothing about it, and he might have brought the dog with him, if so be he came to again. I won't believe that he's haltogether not to be made away with, for how come his eye out? Well, I don't care, I'm a good Christian, and may I be swamped if I don't try what he's made of yet! First time we cut's up beef, I'll try and chop your tail, anyhow, that I will, if I am hung for it.'

Smallbones regained his determination. He set about laying the things for breakfast, and when they were ready he went up to the quarter-deck, reporting the same to Mr. Vanslyperken, who had expected to see him frightened out of his wits, and concluding his speech by saying, "If you please, sir, the dog be in the cabin, all right; I said as how I never kilt your dog, nor buried him neither."

"The dog in the cabin!" exclaimed Mr. Vanslyperken, with apparent astonishment. "Why, how the devil could he have come there ?"

"He cummed off, I suppose, sir, same way as you did, without nobody knowing nothing about it," drawled out Smallbones, who then walked away.

In the meantime the corporal' had been picked up, and the men were attempting to recover him. Smallbones went forward to see what had become of him, and learnt how it was that he was insensible.

"Well, then," thought Smallbones, "it may have been all the same with the dog, and I believe there's humbug in it; for if the dog had made his appearance, as master pretends he did, all of a sudden, he'd a been more frightened than me.'

,,

So reasoned Smallbones, and he reasoned well. In the meantime the corporal opened his eyes, and gradually returned to his senses, and then, for the first time, the ship's company, who were all down at their breakfast, demanded of Smallbones the reason of the corporal's conduct.

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"Why," replied Smallbones, "because that 'ere beast, Snarley yow, be come back again, all alive, a'ter being dead and buried-he's in the cabin now-that's all."

"That's all!" exclaimed one. "All!" cried another. "The devil!" said a third.

"I said as how it would be," said Obadiah Coble-"that dog is no dog, as sure as I sit here."

The return of the dog certainly had a strong effect upon the whole of the ship's company. The corporal swore that he was