He has not been to the house opposite these two last arrivals," said
the widow, "that is certain; for Babette and I have been on the watch.
There was hanging matter there. Now I won't believe but that he must go
somewhere; he carries his letters, and takes his gold as before, depend
upon it. Yes, and I will find it out. Yes, yes, Mr Vanslyperken, we
will see who is the 'cutest--you or the widow Vandersloosh."

"Mein Gott! yes," replied the corporal.

"Now he landed a passenger last time, which he called a king's
messenger, and I am as sure as I sit here, that he was no king's
messenger, unless he was one of King James's, as was; for look you,
Corporal Van Spitter, do you suppose that King William would employ an
Englishman, as you say he was, for a messenger, when a Dutchman was to
be had for love or money? No, no, we must find out where he goes to. I
will have some one on the look-out when you come again, and then set
Babette on the watch; she shall track him up to the den of his
treachery. Yes, yes, Mr Vanslyperken, we will see who gains the day,
you or the widow Vandersloosh."

"Mein Gott! yes," replied the corporal.

"And now, corporal, I've been thinking over all this ever since your
absence, and all you have told me about his cowardly attempts upon that
poor boy's life, and his still greater cowardice in believing such stuff
as you have made him believe about the lad not being injured by mortal
man. Stuff and nonsense! the lad is but a lad."

"Mein Gott! yes," said the corporal.

"And now, corporal, I'll tell you something else, which is, that you and
the Yungfraus are just as great fools as Mynheer Vanslyperken, in
believing all that stuff and nonsense about the dog. The dog is but a
dog."

This was rather a trial to the corporal's politeness; to deny what the
widow said might displease; and, as he firmly believed otherwise, he was
put to a nonplus; but the widow looked him full in the face, expecting
assent, so at last the corporal drawled out--

"Mein Gott! yes--a tog is but a tog."

The widow was satisfied; and not perceiving the nice distinction,
continued:--

"Well, then, corporal, as a lad is but a lad, and a dog is but a dog, I
have been setting my wits to work about getting the rascally traitor in
my power. I mean to pretend to take every interest in him, and to get
all his secrets, and then, when he tells me that Smallbones cannot be
hurt by mortal man, I shall say he can by woman, a