vil at his
elbow--see if it frightens him."

"Yes, do," exclaimed the others.

Corporal Van Spitter made up his mind; he pulled down the skirts of his
jacket, descended the ladder, and walked aft into the cabin. At the
sight of Snarleyyow, the corporal turned pale--at the sight of the
corporal, Mr Vanslyperken turned red.

"What's the meaning of all this?" exclaimed Vanslyperken, in a rage.
"What is all this about, corporal? Explain your conduct, sir. What
made you rush out of the cabin in that strange manner?"

"Mein Gott, Mynheer Vanslyperken, I came for orders; but I no come keep
company wid de tyfel."

"With the devil! what do you mean?" exclaimed Vanslyperken, alarmed.
The corporal, perceiving that the lieutenant was frightened, then
entered into a detail, that when he had entered the cabin he had seen
the devil sitting behind Mr Vanslyperken, looking over his shoulder,
and grinning with his great eyes while he patted him over the back with
his left hand and fondled the dog with his right.

This invention of the corporal's, whom Mr Vanslyperken considered as a
stanch friend and incapable of treachery, had a great effect upon Mr
Vanslyperken. It immediately rushed into his mind that he had attempted
murder but a few days before, and that, that very day he had been a
traitor to his country--quite sufficient for the devil to claim him as
his own.

"Corporal Van Spitter," exclaimed Vanslyperken, with a look of horror,
"are you really in earnest, or are you not in your senses--you really
saw him?"

"As true as I stand here," replied the corporal, who perceived his
advantage.

"Then the Lord be merciful to me a sinner!" exclaimed Vanslyperken,
falling on his knees, at the moment forgetting the presence of the
corporal; and then recollecting himself, he jumped up--"It is false,
Corporal Van Spitter--false as you are yourself: confess," continued the
lieutenant, seizing the corporal by the collar, "confess, that it is all
a lie."

"A lie!" exclaimed the corporal, who now lost his courage, "a lie,
Mynheer Vanslyperken! If it was not the tyfel himself it was one of his
imps, I take my Bible oath."

"One of his imps!" exclaimed Vanslyperken; "it's a lie--an infamous lie:
confess," continued he, shaking the corporal by the collar, "confess the
truth."

At this moment Snarleyyow considered that he had a right to be a party
in the fray, so he bounded forward at the corporal, who, terrified at
the supernatu