of our
Lord, 1700.

Chapter LIV

In which affairs begin to wind up.

There are few people whose vindictive feelings are not satisfied with
the death of the party against whom those feelings have been excited.
The eyes of all on deck (that is all except one) were at first directed
to the struggling Vanslyperken, and then, as if sickened at the sight of
his sufferings, were turned away with a feeling very near akin to
compassion.

One only looked or never thought of Vanslyperken, and that one was
Smallbones, who watched the kicking and plunging of his natural enemy,
Snarleyyow. Gradually, the dog relaxed his exertions, and Smallbones
watched, somewhat doubtful, whether a dog who had defied every other
kind of death, would condescend to be hanged. At last, Snarleyyow was
quite still. He appeared nearly to have gone to--"Where the wicked cease
from troubling, and the weary are at rest."

"He won't a cum to life any more this time," said Smallbones; "but I'll
not let you out of my hands yet. They say a cat have nine lives, but, by
gum, some dogs have ninety."

There was a dead silence on the deck of the cutter for a quarter of an
hour, during which the bodies remained suspended. A breeze then came
sweeping along and ruffled the surface of the water. This was of too
great importance to allow of further delay. Sir Robert desired the
seamen of the _Yungfrau_ to come aft, told them he should take their
cutter to Cherbourg, to land the Women and his own people, and that then
they would be free to return to Portsmouth; all that he requested of
them was to be quiet and submissive during the short time that he and
his party were on board. Coble replied for the ship's company--"As for
the matter of that 'ere--there was no fear of their being quiet enough
when there were more than two to one against them; but that, in fact,
they had no animosity: for even if they did feel a little sore at what
had happened, and their messmates being wounded, what was swinging at
the yard-arm made them all friends again. The gentleman might take the
cutter where he pleased, and might use her as long as he liked, and when
he had done with her it was quite time enough to take her back to
Portsmouth."

"Well, then, as we understand one another, we had now better make
sail," said Sir Robert. "Cut away that rope," continued he, pointing to
the whip by which Vanslyperken's body was suspended.

Jansen stepped forward with his snickasee, th