fired a pistol at him, and then
knocked him down with the butt end of it, and that he had escaped, but
with the loss of the bag.

This was a great relief to the mind of Mr Vanslyperken, who had
imagined that he had been visited by the ghost of Smallbones daring the
night: he expressed himself glad at his return, and a wish to be left
alone, upon which the corporal retired. As soon as Vanslyperken found
out that Smallbones was still alive, his desire to kill him returned;
although, when he supposed him dead, he would, to escape from his own
feelings, have resuscitated him. One chief idea now whirled in his
brain, which was, that the lad must have a charmed life; he had floated
out to the Nab buoy and back again, and now he had had a pistol-bullet
passed through his scull without injury. He felt too much fear to
attempt anything against him for the future, but his desire to do so was
stronger than ever.

Excitement and vexation brought on a slow fever, and Mr Vanslyperken
lay for three or four days in bed; at the end of which period he
received a message from the admiral, directing him to come or send on
shore (for his state had been made known) for his despatches, and to
sail as soon as possible.

Upon receiving the message, Mr Vanslyperken recollected his engagement
at the house of the Jew Lazarus, and weak as he was, felt too much
afraid of the results, should he fail, not to get out of bed and go on
shore. It was with difficulty he could walk so far. When he arrived he
found Ramsay ready to receive him.

"To sail as soon as possible:--'tis well, sir. Have you your
despatches?"

"I sent to the admiral's for them," replied Vanslyperken.

"Well then, be all ready to start at midnight. I shall come on board
about a quarter of an hour before; you may go, sir."

Vanslyperken quailed under the keen eye and stern look of Ramsay, and
obeyed the uncourteous order in silence; still he thought of revenge as
he walked back to the boat and re-embarked in the cutter.

"What's this, Short?" observed Coble: "here is a new freak; we start at
midnight, I hear."

"Yes," replied Short.

"Something quite new, any how:--don't understand it, do you?"

"No," replied Dick.

"Well, now Jemmy's gone, I don't care how soon I follow, Dick."

"Nor I," replied Short.

"I've a notion there's some mystery in all this. For," continued Coble,
"the admiral would never have ordered us out till to-morrow morning, if
he did not m