und like wildfire, and, when communicated, a beam of pleasure was soon
apparent throughout the whole cutter, and for this simple reason, that
the accident removed the fear rising from the supposition of the dog
being supernatural, for the men argued, and with some reason, that if
you could put out his eye you could kill him altogether; for if you
could destroy a part you could destroy the whole. No one ever heard of
the devil's eye being put out--ergo, the dog could not be a devil, or
one of his imps; so argued a knot of the men in conclave, and Jansen
wound up by observing, "Dat de tog was only a tog after all."

Vanslyperken returned to his cabin and stated his intentions to his
factotum and confidant, Corporal Van Spitter. Now, in this instance,
the corporal did not adhere to that secrecy to which he was bound, and
the only reason we can give is, that he had as great a dislike to Jemmy
Ducks as his lieutenant--for the corporal obeyed orders so exactly that
he considered it his duty not to have even an opinion or a feeling
contrary to those of his superior officer. He was delighted at the idea
of flogging Jemmy, and communicated the lieutenant's intention to the
most favoured of his marines, who also told the secret to another, and
thus in five minutes it was known throughout the cutter, that as soon as
they were in blue water the little boatswain was to be tied up for
having damned the admiral in a snow-storm. The consequence was, as the
evening was clear, that there was a very numerous assemblage upon the
forecastle of the cutter Yungfrau.

"Flog Jemmy!" said Bill Spurey. "Why, Jemmy's a hofficer."

"To be sure he is," observed another: "and quite as good a one as
Vanslyperken himself, though he don't wear brass on his hat."

"Damn it--what next--heh, Coble?"

Coble hitched up his trousers. "It's my opinion he'll be for flogging
us next, Short," said the old man.

"Yes," replied Short.

"Shall we allow Jemmy to be flogged?"

"No," replied Short.

"If it warn't for them ere marines, and the lumpy beggar of a corporal,"
observed one of the seamen.

"Pish," quoth Jemmy, who was standing among them.

"Won't he make it out mutiny?" observed Spurey.

"Mein Gott! it was mutiny to flog de officer," said Jansen.

"That's very true," observed another.

"But Jemmy can't stand against the fat corporal and the six marines,"
observed Bill Spurey.

"One up and t'other down, I'll take them all," observed Jem