s occasionally haunted with the memory of the scene in his mother's
room--Smallbones dead, and the stream of blood running along the floor,
and his mother's diabolical countenance, with the hammer raised in her
palsied hands; but he had an instigator to his vengeance beside him,
which appeared to relieve his mind whenever it was oppressed; it was the
stump of Snarleyyow, and when he looked at that he was no longer
regretted, but congratulated himself on the deed being done. His time
was fully occupied during the day, for with locked doors he was
transcribing the letters sent to Ramsay, and confided to him.

He was not content with taking extracts, as he did of the Government
despatches for Ramsay; he copied every word, and he replaced the seals
with great dexterity. At night his mind was troubled, and he dare not
lay himself down to rest until he had fortified himself with several
glasses of scheedam; even then his dreams frightened him; but he was to
be more frightened yet.

Corporal Spitter came into the cabin on the third morning with a very
anxious face. "Mein Gott! Mynheer Vanslyperken, de whole crew be in de
mutinys."

"Mutiny!" exclaimed Vanslyperken, "what's the matter?"

"They say, sir, dat dey see de ghost of Smallbones last night on de
bowsprit, with one great cut on his head, and de blood all over de
face."

"Saw what? who saw him?"

"Mein Gott, mynheer! it all true, I really think I see it myself at de
taffrail; he sit there, and have great wound from here down to," said
the corporal, pointing to his own head, and describing the wound
exactly. "The people say that he must have been murdered, and dey kick
up de mutiny."

"I did not do it, corporal, at all events," replied Vanslyperken, pale
and trembling.

"So Smallbones tell Dick Short, when he speak to him on bowsprit."

"Did it speak to Short?" inquired Vanslyperken, catching the corporal's
arm.

"Yes, mynheer; Mynheer Short speak first, and den the ghost say dat you
not do it, but dat you give gold to old woman to do it, and she knock
him brain out vid de hammer."

To portray Vanslyperken's dismay at this intelligence would be
impossible. He could not but be certain that there had been a
supernatural communication. His knees knocked and trembled, and he
turned sick and faint.

"O Lord, O Lord! corporal, I'm a great sinner," cried he at last, quite
unaware of what he was saying. "Some water, corporal." Corporal Van
Spitter handed