en of what he had, for a short time
unheeded, that his favourite was present.

"Well, it's very odd," observed Spurey, "that he has been on board
nearly half-an-hour, and not discovered that his dog is absent
without leave."

"Yes," said Short.

"I know for why, mein Gott!" exclaimed the corporal, who shook his head
very knowingly.

"The corporal knows why," observed Jemmy Ducks.

"Then why don't he say why?" retorted Bill Spurey, who was still a
little suspicious of the corporal's fidelity.

"Because Mynheer Vanslyperken count his money de guineas," replied the
corporal, writhing at the idea of what he had lost by his superior's
interference.

"Ho, ho! his money, well, that's a good reason, for he would skin a
flint if he could," observed Coble; "but that can't last for ever."

"That depends how often he may count it over," observed Jemmy
Ducks--"but there's his bell;" and soon after Corporal Van Spitter's
name was passed along the decks, to summon him into the presence of his
commanding officer.

"Now for a breeze," said Coble, hitching up his trousers.

"Yes," replied Short.

"For a regular _shindy_," observed Spurey.

"Hell to pay and no pitch hot," added Jemmy, laughing; and they all
remained in anxious expectation of the corporal's return.

Corporal Van Spitter had entered the cabin with the air of the
profoundest devotion and respect--had raised his hand up as usual, but
before the hand had arrived to its destination, he beheld Vanslyperken
seated on the locker, patting the head of Snarleyyow, as if nothing had
happened. At this unexpected resuscitation, the corporal uttered a
tremendous "Mein Gott!" and burst like a mad bull out of the cabin,
sweeping down all who obstructed his passage on the lower deck, till he
arrived to the fore-ladder, which he climbed up with tottering knees,
and then sank down on the forecastle at the feet of Jemmy Ducks.

"Mein Gott, mein Gott, mein Gott!" exclaimed the corporal, putting his
hands to his eyes as if to shut out the horrid vision.

"What the devil is the matter?" exclaimed Coble.

"Ah! mein Gott, mein Gott!"

As it was evident that something uncommon had happened, they all now
crowded round the corporal, who, by degrees, recovered himself.

"What is it, corporal?" inquired Jemmy Ducks.

Before the corporal could reply, Smallbones, who had been summoned to
the cabin on account of the corporal's unaccountable exit, sprang up the
ladder with one bound