e
time of the appearance of the supernatural object, and tailed on to what
he believed to be true, that which he knew to be false, to wit, that the
apparition had cried out to him, that "_he was not to be hurt by mortal
man_." "Gott in Himmel," finished the corporal, "I never was so
frightened in my life. I see him now, as plain as I see you, mynheer.
Twenty tousand tyfels, but the voice was like de tunder--and his eye
like de lightning--I fell back in one swoon. Ah, mein Gott, mein Gott!"

So well did the corporal play his part, that Vanslyperken became quite
terrified; the candle appeared to burn dim, and he dared not move to
snuff it. He could not but credit the corporal, for there was an
earnestness of description, and a vividness of colouring, which could
not have been invented; besides, was not the corporal his earnest and
only friend? "Corporal," said Vanslyperken, "perhaps you'll like a glass
of scheedam; there's some in the cupboard."

This was very kind of Mr Vanslyperken, but he wanted one himself, much
more than the corporal. The corporal produced the bottle and the glass,
poured it out, made his military salute, and tossed it off.

"Give me another glass, corporal," said Vanslyperken, in a tremulous
tone. The lieutenant took one, two, three glasses, one after another, to
recover himself.

The corporal had really frightened him. He was convinced that Smallbones
had a charmed life. Did he not float to the Nab buoy and back
again?--did not a pistol ball pass through him without injury?
Vanslyperken shuddered; he took a fresh glass, and then handed the
bottle to the corporal, who helped himself, saluted, and the liquor
again disappeared in a moment.

Dutch courage is proverbial, although a libel upon one of the bravest of
nations. Vanslyperken now felt it, and again he commenced with the
corporal. "What were the words?" inquired he.

"Dat he was not to be hurt by mortal man, mynheer. I can take mine piple
oath of it," replied the corporal.

"Damnation!" cried Vanslyperken; "but stop--mortal man--perhaps he may
be hurt by woman."

"Dat is quite anoder ting, mynheer."

"He shan't escape if I can help it," retorted Vanslyperken. "I must
think about it." Vanslyperken poured out another glass of scheedam, and
pushed the stone bottle to the corporal, who helped himself without
ceremony. Mr Vanslyperken was now about two-thirds drunk, for he was not
used to such a quantity of spirits.

"Now, if I had only