s;--he, the willain, as would have flogged my
Jemmy." This was the wife of Jemmy Ducks, who lived at Portsmouth, and
who, having heard what had taken place, vowed revenge.

"Silence, Moggy," said Jemmy, who was standing by her.

"Yes, I'll hold my tongue till the time comes, and then I'll sarve him
out, the cheating wagabond."

"Silence, Moggy."

"And as for that 'peaching old Corporal Blubber, I'll _Wan Spitter_ him
if ever he turns up again to blow the gaff against my own dear Jemmy."

"Silence, Moggy--there's rowed of all, and a marine at your elbow."

"Let him take that for his trouble," cried Moggy, turning round, and
delivering a swinging box of the ear upon the astonished marine, who not
liking to encounter such an Amazon, made a hasty retreat down the
fore-hatchway.

"So there you are, are you?" continued Moggy, as Vanslyperken stepped on
the deck.

"Silence, Moggy."

"You, that would flog my own dear darling duck--my own Jemmy."

"Silence! Moggy, will you?" said Jemmy Ducks, in an angry tone, "or I'll
smash your peepers."

"You must climb on the gun to reach them, my little man," replied his
wife. "Well, the more I holds my tongue now, the more for him when I
gets hold on him. Oh! he's gone to his cabin, has he, to kiss his
Snarleyyow:--I'll make _smallbones_ of that beast afore I'm done with
him. Flog my Jemmy--my own, dear, darling Jemmy--a nasty lean--"

"Go down below, Moggy," said Jemmy Ducks, pushing her towards the
hatchway.

"Snivelling, great-coated--"

"Go below," continued Jemmy, shoving her.

"Ferret-eyed, razor-nosed--"

"Go down below, will you?" cried Jemmy, pushing her near to the
hatchway.

"Herring-gutted, bare-poled--"

"Confound it! go below."

"Cheating rip of a wagabond! Lord, Jemmy, if you a'n't a shoved me down
the hatchway! Well, never mind, my darling, let's go to supper;" and
Moggy caught hold of her husband as she was going down, and with
surprising strength lifted him off his legs and carried him down in her
arms as she would have done a child, much to the amusement of the men
who were standing on the forecastle.

When it was dusk, a boat dropped alongside of the cutter, and a man
stepped out of it on the deck, when he was met by Obadiah Coble, who
asked him, "What's your pleasure?"

"I must speak with the commander of this vessel directly."

"Wait a moment, and I'll tell him what you say," replied Coble, who
reported the message to Mr Vanslyperken.