I sleep on that bed with the
lamented Mr Vandersloosh--for sixteen years have I slept in it, a lone
widow--but never till now did it break down. How am I to sleep to-night?
What am I to do, Babette?"

"'Twas well it did break down, ma'am," replied Babette, who was
smoothing down the jagged skin at her ankles; "or we should never have
got the nasty biting brute out of the house."

"Very well--very well. Yes, yes, Mr Vanslyperken--marriage, indeed, I'd
as soon marry his cur."

"Mein Gott!" exclaimed Babette. "I think madame, if you did marry, you
would soon find the master as cross as the dog; but I must make
this bed."

Babette proceeded to examine the mischief, and found that it was only
the cords which tied the sacking which had given way, and considering
that they had done their office for thirty-two years, and the strain
which had been put upon them after so long a period, there was not much
to complain of. A new cord was procured, and, in a quarter of an hour,
all was right again; and the widow, who had sat in the chair fuming and
blowing off her steam, as soon as Babette had turned down the bed,
turned in again, muttering, "Yes, yes, Mr Vanslyperken--marriage indeed.
Well, well, we shall see. Stop till to-morrow, Mr Vanslyperken;" and as
Babette has closed the curtains, so will we close this chapter.

Chapter XII

In which resolutions are entered into in all quarters, and Jemmy Ducks
is accused of mutiny for singing a song in a snow-storm.

What were the adventures of Snarleyyow after this awkward interfence
with his master's speculations upon the widow, until he jumped into the
beef boat to go on board of the cutter, are lost for ever; but it is to
be supposed that he could not have remained the whole night without
making himself disagreeable in some quarter or another. But, as we
before observed, we know nothing about it; and, therefore, may be
excused if we do not tell.

The widow Vandersloosh slept but little that night: her soul was full of
vengeance; but although smarting with the imprints of the cur's teeth,
still she had an eye to business; the custom of the crew of the cutter
was not to be despised, and, as she thought of this, she gradually
cooled down. It was not till four o'clock in the morning that she came
to her decision; and it was a very prudent one, which was to demand the
dead body of the dog to be laid at her door before Mr Vanslyperken
should be allowed admittance. This was he