o its length, and was
secured from motion by a single gripe, which confined it in its place,
bowsing it close to the stern of the cutter, and preventing it from
turning over bottom up, which, upon the least weight upon one gunwale or
the other, would be inevitably the case. Smallbones was lying close to
the gunwale next to the stern of the cutter. By letting go the gripe,
therefore, the boat would immediately turn bottom up, and Smallbones
would be dropped into the sea. Vanslyperken carefully examined the
fastenings of the gripe, found that they were to be cast off by one
movement, and that his success was certain; but still he was cautious.
The man at the helm must hear the boat go over; he might hear Smallbones
cry for assistance. So Vanslyperken went forward to the man at the
helm, and desired him to go down and to order Corporal Van Spitter to
mix a glass of brandy-and-water, and send it up by him, and that he
would steer the vessel till he came up again. The man went down to
execute the order, and Vanslyperken steered the cutter for half a
minute, during which he looked forward to ascertain if any one was
moving. All was safe, the watch was all asleep forward, and
Vanslyperken, leaving the cutter to steer itself, hastened aft, cast off
the gripe, the boat, as he calculated, immediately turning over, and the
sleeping Smallbones fell into the sea. Vanslyperken hastened back to
the helm, and put the cutter's head right. He heard the cry of
Smallbones, but it was not loud, for the cutter had already left him
astern, and it was fainter and fainter, and at last it was heard no
more, and not one of the watch had been disturbed.

"If ever you haunt me again," muttered Vanslyperken, "may I be hanged."

We particularly call the reader's attention to these words of Mr
Vanslyperken.

The man returned with the brandy-and-water, with which Vanslyperken
drank _bon voyage_ to poor Smallbones. He then ordered the cutter to be
put about, and as soon as she was round he went down into his cabin and
turned in with greater satisfaction than he had for a long time.

"We shall have got rid of him, at last, my poor dog," said he, patting
Snarleyyow's head. "Your enemy is gone for ever."

And Mr Vanslyperken slept soundly, because, although he had committed a
murder, there was no chance of his being found out. We soon get
accustomed to crime: before, he started at the idea of murder; now, all
that he cared for was detection