The lieutenant, the dog, and the biscuit were all graciously received.

"Has he eaten it?" inquired the widow.

"Yes," replied Vanslyperken, with a nod. "Empty the bag, and I will send
him on board again."

"Not yet, not yet--give him half an hour to saunter, it will be better.
That poor dog of yours must want a little grass," said the widow,
"always being on board. Let him run a little in the yard, he will find
plenty there."

The obedient lieutenant opened the back-door, and Snarleyyow, who had
not forgotten either the widow Or Babette, went out of his own accord.
Mr Vanslyperken looked to ascertain if the yard-door, which led to the
street, was fast, and then returned, shutting the back-door after him.

Smallbones was waiting at the porch as usual.

"Babette," cried the widow, "mind you don't open the yard-door and let
Mr Vanslyperken's dog out. Do you hear?"

Smallbones, who understood this as the signal, immediately slipped
round, opened the yard-door, took the herring out of his pocket, and
threw it to Snarleyyow. The dog came to it, smelt it, seized it, and
walked off, with his ears and tail up, to the sunny side of the yard,
intending to have a good meal; and Smallbones, who was afraid of Mr
Vanslyperken catching him in the act, came out of the yard, and hastened
to his former post at the porch. He caught Babette's eye, coming down
stairs, and winked and smiled. Babette walked into the room, caught the
eye of the mistress, and winked and smiled. Upon which, the widow
ordered Babette to empty the bread-bag and give it to Smallbones, to
take on board,--an order repeated by Vanslyperken. Before he returned to
the boat, Smallbones again passed round to the yard-door. Snarleyyow was
there, but no signs of the red-herring. "He's a eaten it all, by gum,"
said Smallbones, grinning, and walking away to the boat, with the
bread-bag over his shoulder. As soon as he had arrived on board, the lad
communicated the fact to the crew of the _Yungfrau_, whose spirits were
raised by the intelligence, with the exception still of old Coble, who
shook his head, and declared, "It was twopence and a red-herring
thrown away."

Mr Vanslyperken returned on board in the afternoon, fully expecting to
hear of Smallbones being very ill. He was surprised that the man in the
boat did not tell him, and he asked them carelessly if there was
anything new on board, but received a reply in the negative. When he
came on board, followed b