r Vanslyperken could not accuse him of want
of respect to his superior officer; he had saluted him on entering, and
he was still saluting him when he made his exit.

The widow threw herself on the sofa--Corporal Van Spitter then took his
seat beside her. The widow, overcome by her rage and exertion, burst
into tears and sobbed in his arms.

The corporal poured out a glass of beer, and persuaded her to drink it.

"I'll have him hanged to-morrow, at all events. I'll go to the Hague
myself," cried the widow. "Yes, yes, Mr Vanslyperken, we shall see who
will gain the day," continued the widow, sobbing.

"You can prove it, corporal?"

"Mein Gott! yes," replied the corporal.

"As soon as he's hung, corporal, we'll marry."

"Mein Gott! yes."

"Traitorous villain!--sell his king and his country for gold!"

"Mein Gott! yes."

"You're sure it was fifty guineas, corporal?"

"Mein Gott! yes."

"Ah, well, Mr Vanslyperken, we shall see," said the widow, drying her
eyes. "Yes, yes, Mr Vanslyperken, you shall be hanged, and your cur
with you, or my name's not Vandersloosh."

"Mein Gott! yes," replied the corporal.

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.

IN WHICH MR. VANSLYPERKEN PROVES HIS LOYALTY AND HIS FIDELITY TO KING
WILLIAM.

Mr Vanslyperken hastened from his inglorious conflict, maddened with
rage and disappointment. He returned on board, went down into his
cabin, and threw himself on his bed. His hopes and calculations had
been so brilliant--rid of his enemy Smallbones--with gold in possession,
and more in prospect, to be so cruelly deceived by the widow--the
cockatrice. Then by one to whom he fully confided, and who knew too
many of his secrets already--Corporal Van Spitter--he too!--and to dare
to aspire to the widow--it was madness--and then their knowledge of his
treason--the corporal having witnessed his receiving the gold--with such
bitter enemies, what could he expect but a halter?--he felt it even now
round his neck; and Vanslyperken groaned in the bitterness of his
spirit.

In the meantime, there was a consultation between the widow and the
corporal as to the best method of proceeding. That the corporal could
expect nothing but the most determined hostility from Vanslyperken was
certain; but for this the corporal cared little, as he had all the crew
of the cutter on his side, and he was in his own person too high in rank
to be at the mercy of Vanslyperken.

After many pros and cons, and at least a doz