CHAPTER FORTY TWO.
IN WHICH IS SHOWN THE IMPRUDENCE OF SLEEPING IN THE OPEN AIR, EVEN IN ASUMMER'S NIGHT.
The Yungfrau was not permitted to remain more than two days at heranchorage. On the third morning Mr Vanslyperken's signal was made toprepare to weigh. He immediately answered it, and giving his orders toShort, hastened, as fast as he could, up to the syndic's house to informRamsay, stating, that he must immediately return on board again, andthat the letters must be sent to him: Ramsay perceived the necessity ofthis, and consented. On his return to the boat, Mr Vanslyperken foundthat his signal to repair on board the frigate had been hoisted, and hehastened on board to put on his uniform and obey this order. Hereceived his despatches from the captain of the frigate, with orders toproceed to sea immediately. Mr Vanslyperken, under the eye of hissuperior officer, could not dally or delay: he hove short, hoisted hismainsail, and fired a gun as a signal for sailing; anxiously looking outfor Ramsay's boat with his letters, and afraid to go without them; butno boat made its appearance, and Mr Vanslyperken was forced to heave uphis anchor. Still he did not like to make sail, and he remained a fewminutes more, when he at last perceived a small boat coming off. At thesame time he observed a boat coming from the frigate, and they arrivedalongside the cutter about the same time, fortunately Ramsay's boat thefirst, and Mr Vanslyperken had time to carry the letters down below.
"The commandant wishes to know why you do not proceed to sea, sir, inobedience to your orders," said the officer.
"I only waited for that boat to come on board, sir," repliedVanslyperken to the lieutenant.
"And pray, sir, from whom does that boat come?" inquired the officer.
"From the syndic's, Mynheer Van Krause," replied Vanslyperken, notknowing what else to say, and thinking that the name of the syndic wouldbe sufficient.
"And what did the boat bring off, to occasion the delay, sir?"
"A letter or two for England," replied Vanslyperken.
"Very well, sir; I wish you a good morning," said the lieutenant, whothen went into his boat, and Vanslyperken made sail.
The delay of the cutter to receive the syndic's letters was fullyreported the same evening to the commandant, who, knowing that thesyndic was suspected, reported the same to the authorities, and thistrifling circumstance only increased the suspicions against theunfortunate Mynheer Van Krause; but we must follow the cutter and thoseon board of her. Smallbones had remained concealed on board, his woundshad been nearly healed, and it was now again proposed that he should, assoon as they were out at sea, make his appearance to frightenVanslyperken; and that, immediately they arrived at Portsmouth, heshould go on shore and desert from the cutter, as Mr Vanslyperkenwould, of course, find out that his mother was killed, and theconsequences to Smallbones must be dangerous, as he had no evidence, ifVanslyperken swore that he had murdered his mother; but this arrangementwas overthrown by events which we shall now narrate. It was on thethird morning after they sailed, that Vanslyperken walked the deck:there was no one but the man at the helm abaft. The weather wasextremely sultry, for the cutter had run with a fair wind for the firsteight-and-forty hours, and had then been becalmed for the lasttwenty-four, and had drifted to the back of the Isle of Wight, when shewas not three leagues from St. Helens. The consequence was, that theebb tide had now drifted her down very nearly opposite to that part ofthe island where the cave was situated of which we have made mention.Vanslyperken heard the people talking below, and, as usual, anxious tooverhear what was said, had stopped to listen. He heard the name ofSmallbones repeated several times, but could not make out what was said.
Anxious to know, he went down the ladder, and, instead of going into hiscabin, crept softly forward on the lower deck, when he overheard Coble,Short, and Spurey in consultation.
"We shall be in to-morrow," said Spurey, "if a breeze springs up, andthen it will be too late; Smallbones must frighten him again to-night."
"Yes," replied Short.
"He shall go into his cabin at twelve o'clock, that will be the bestway."
"But the corporal."
"Hush! there is some one there," said Spurey, who, attracted by a slightnoise made by Vanslyperken's boots, turned short round.
Vanslyperken retreated and gained the deck by the ladder; he had hardlybeen up when he observed a face at the hatchway, who was evidentlylooking to ascertain if he was on deck.
These few words overheard, satisfied Vanslyperken that Smallbones wasalive and on board the cutter; and he perceived how he had been playedwith. His rage was excessive, but he did not know how to act. IfSmallbones was alive, and that he appeared to be, he must have escapedfrom his mother, and, of course, the ship's company must know that hislife had been attempted. That he did not care much about: he had notdone the deed; but how the lad could have come on board! did he not seehim lying dead? It was very strange, and the life of the boy must becharmed. At all events, it was a mystery which Mr Vanslyperken couldnot solve; at first, he thought that he would allow Smallbones to comeinto the cabin and get a loaded pistol ready for him. The words, "Butthe corporal," which were cut short, proved to him that the corporal wasno party to the affair; yet it was strange that the ship's company couldhave concealed the lad without the corporal's knowledge. Vanslyperkenwalked and walked, and thought and thought; at last he resolved to godown into his cabin, pretend to go to bed, lock his door, which was nothis custom, and see if they would attempt to come in. He did so, thecorporal was dismissed, and at twelve o'clock his door was tried andtried again; but being fast, the party retreated. Vanslyperken waitedtill two bells to ascertain if any more attempts would be made; but nonewere, so he rose from his bed, where he had thrown himself with hisclothes on, and, opening the door softly, crept upon deck. The nightwas very warm, but there was a light and increasing breeze and thecutter was standing in and close to the shore to make a long board uponnext tack. Vanslyperken passed the man at the helm, and walked aft tothe taffrail; he stood up on the choak to ascertain what way she wasmaking through the water, and he was meditating upon the best method ofproceeding. Had he known where Smallbones' hammock was hung, he wouldhave gone down with the view of ascertaining the fact; but with a crewso evidently opposed to him, he could not see how even the ascertainingthat Smallbones was on board would be productive of any goodconsequences. The more Vanslyperken thought, the more he was puzzled.The fact is, that he was between the horns of a dilemma; but the devil,who always helps his favourites, came to the aid of Mr Vanslyperken.The small boat was, as usual, hoisted up astern, and Mr Vanslyperken'seyes were accidentally cast upon it. He perceived a black mass lying onthe thwarts, and he examined it more closely: he heard snoring; it wasone of the ship's company sleeping there against orders. He leant overthe taffrail, and putting aside the great coat which covered the party,he looked attentively on the face--there was no doubt it was Smallboneshimself. From a knowledge of the premises, Vanslyperken knew at oncethat the lad was in his power.
The boat, after being hauled up with tackles, was hung by a single ropeat each davit. It was very broad in proportion to its length, and wassecured from motion by a single gripe, which confined it in its place,bowsing it close to the stern of the cutter, and preventing it fromturning over bottom up, which, upon the least weight upon one gunwale orthe other, would be inevitably the case. Smallbones was lying close tothe gunwale next to the stern of the cutter. By letting go the gripe,therefore, the boat would immediately turn bottom up, and Smallboneswould be dropped into the sea. Vanslyperken carefully examined thefastenings of the gripe, found that they were to be cast off by onemovement, and that his success was certain; but still he was cautious.The man at the helm must hear the boat go over; he might hear Smallbonescry for assistance. So Vanslyperken went forward to the man at thehelm, and desired him to go down and to order Corporal Van Spitter tomix a glass of brandy-and-water, and send it up by him, and that hewould steer the vessel till he came up again. The man went down toexecute the order, and Vansly
perken steered the cutter for half aminute, during which he looked forward to ascertain if any one wasmoving. All was safe, the watch was all asleep forward, andVanslyperken, leaving the cutter to steer itself, hastened aft, cast offthe gripe, the boat, as he calculated, immediately turning over, and thesleeping Smallbones fell into the sea. Vanslyperken hastened back tothe helm, and put the cutter's head right. He heard the cry ofSmallbones, but it was not loud, for the cutter had already left himastern, and it was fainter and fainter, and at last it was heard nomore, and not one of the watch had been disturbed.
"If ever you haunt me again," muttered Vanslyperken, "may I be hanged."
We particularly call the reader's attention to these words of MrVanslyperken.
The man returned with the brandy-and-water, with which Vanslyperkendrank _bon voyage_ to poor Smallbones. He then ordered the cutter to beput about, and as soon as she was round he went down into his cabin andturned in with greater satisfaction than he had for a long time.
"We shall have got rid of him, at last, my poor dog," said he, pattingSnarleyyow's head. "Your enemy is gone for ever."
And Mr Vanslyperken slept soundly, because, although he had committed amurder, there was no chance of his being found out. We soon getaccustomed to crime: before, he started at the idea of murder; now, allthat he cared for was detection.
Good-night to you, Mr Vanslyperken.