.

"Or else he must have seen a ghost," replied Smallbones.

"I've heard of ghosts ashore, and sometimes on board of a ship, but I
never heard of a ghost in a jolly-boat," said Coble, spitting under
the gun.

"'Specially when there were hardly room for the corporal," added Spurey.

"Yes," observed Short.

"Well, we shall know something about it to-night, for the corporal and I
am to have a palaver."

"Mind he don't circumwent you, Jimmy," said Spurey.

"It's my opinion," said Smallbones, "that he must be in real arnest,
otherwise he would not ha' come for to go for to give me a glass of
grog--there's no gammon in that;--and such a real stiff 'un too,"
continued Smallbones, who licked his lips at the bare remembrance of the
unusual luxury.

"True," said Short.

"It beats my comprehension altogether out of nothing," observed Spurey.
"There's something very queer in the wind. I wonder where the corporal
has been all this while."

"Wait till this evening," observed Jemmy Ducks; and, as this was very
excellent advice, it was taken, and the parties separated.

In the despatches it had been requested, as important negotiations were
going on, that the cutter might return immediately, as there were other
communications to make to the States General on the part of the King of
England; and a messenger now informed Vanslyperken that he might sail as
soon as he pleased, as there was no reply to the despatches he had
conveyed. This was very agreeable to Vanslyperken, who was anxious to
return to the fair widow at Portsmouth, and also to avoid the Frau
Vandersloosh. At dusk, he manned his boat and went on shore to the
French agent, who had also found out that the cutter was ordered to
return, and had his despatches nearly ready. Vanslyperken waited about
an hour; when all was complete he received them, and then returned
on board.

As soon as he had quitted the vessel, Corporal Van Spitter went to
Jemmy Ducks, and without letting him know how matters stood on shore,
told him that he was convinced that Vanslyperken had sent him into the
boat on purpose to lose him, and that the reason was, that he, Van
Spitter, knew secrets which would at any time hang the lieutenant. That
in consequence he had determined upon revenge, and in future would be
heart and hand with the ship's company, but that to secure their mutual
object, it would be better that he should appear devoted to Vanslyperken
as before, and at variance with the s