heh! my own dear darling Jemmy." Hereupon Moggy
held out one arm bent, and with the palm of her other hand slapped her
elbow--"_There!_" cried she.

What Jemmy's wife meant by this sign, it is impossible for us to say;
but that it was a very significant one was certain, for Mr Vanslyperken
foamed with rage, and all the cutter's crew were tittering and laughing.
It was a species of free-masonry known only to the initiated at the
Sallyport.

"Send the marines aft here. Take this woman below," cried Vanslyperken.
"I shall put all this down to your husband's account, and give him a
receipt in full, depend upon it."

"So you may. Marines, keep off, if you don't wish your heads broken; and
I'll put all this down to your account; and as you say that you'll pay
off on my pet, mark my words, if I don't pay off on yours--on your nasty
cur there. I'll send him to cruise after Corporal Van Spitter. As sure
as I stand here, if you dare to lay a finger on my Jemmy, I'll kill the
brute wherever I find him, and make him into _saussingers_, just for the
pleasure of eating him. I'll send you a pound as a present. You marine,
don't be a fool--I can walk forward without your hoffering your arm, and
be d----d to you." So saying, Moggy stalked forward and joined the men
on the forecastle.

"D'ye know much of that strapping lass?" said Mr Vanslyperken's new
acquaintance.

"Not I," replied Vanslyperken, not much pleased at the observation.

"Well, look out for squalls, she'll be as good as her word. We'll draw
the foresheet, and stand in now, if you please."

It was about dusk, for the days were now short, and the cutter was eight
miles off the land. By the directions of the informer, for we have no
other name to give him, they now bore up and ran along the island until
they were, by his calculations, for it then was dark, abreast of a
certain point close to the Black Gang Chyne. Here they hove-to, hoisted
out their boats, three in number, and the men were sent in, well armed
with pistols and cutlasses. Short had the charge of one, Coble of the
second, the stern-sheets of the third was occupied by Vanslyperken and
the informer. As soon as all was ready, Jemmy Ducks, who, much against
Vanslyperken's wish, was left in charge of the cutter, received his
orders to lie-to where he was, and when the tide made flood, to stand
close in-shore; and all was prepared for a start, when it occurred to
Vanslyperken that to leave Snarleyyow, after th