. You've heard
all about Smallbones, heh! Dick?"

Short nodded his head.

"Well, we shall see: but I'll back the boy 'gainst master and dog too,
in the long run. D--n his Dutch carcass, he seems to make but small
count of English subjects, heh!"

Short leant over the gunwale and whistled.

Coble, finding it impossible to extract one monosyllable more from him,
walked forward, and went down below.

A little before twelve o'clock a boat came alongside, and Ramsay stepped
out of it into the cutter. Vanslyperken had been walking the deck to
receive him, and immediately showed him down into the cabin, where he
left him to go on deck, and get the cutter under way. There was a small
stove in the cabin, for the weather was still cold; they were advanced
into the month of March. Ramsay threw off his coat, laid two pair of
loaded pistols on the table, locked the door of the cabin, and then
proceeded to warm himself, while Vanslyperken was employed on deck.

In an hour the cutter was outside and clear of all danger, and
Vanslyperken had to knock to gain admittance into his own cabin. Ramsay
opened the door, and Vanslyperken, who thought he must say something,
observed gloomily,

"We are all clear, sir."

"Very good," replied Ramsay; "and now, sir, I believe that you have
despatches on board?"

"Yes," replied Vanslyperken.

"You will oblige me by letting me look at them."

"My despatches!" said Vanslyperken with surprise.

"Yes, sir, your despatches; immediately, if you please--no trifling."

"You forget, sir," replied Vanslyperken angrily, "that I am not any
longer in your power, but on board of my own vessel."

"You appear not to know, sir, that you are in my power even on board of
your own vessel," replied Ramsay, starting up, and laying his hand over
the pistols, which he drew towards him, and replaced in his belt. "If
you trust to your ship's company you are mistaken, as you will soon
discover. I demand the despatches."

"But, sir, you will ruin me and ruin yourself," replied Vanslyperken,
alarmed.

"Fear not," replied Ramsay; "for my own sake, and that of the good
cause, I shall not hurt you. No one will know that the despatches have
been ever examined, and----"

"And what?" replied Vanslyperken, gloomily.

"For the passage, and this service, you will receive one hundred
guineas."

Vanslyperken no longer hesitated; he opened the drawer in which he had
deposited the letters, and produced them.

"Now