IN WHICH IS SHOWN THE IMPRUDENCE OF SLEEPING IN THE OPEN AIR, EVEN IN A
SUMMER'S NIGHT.
The Yungfrau was not permitted to remain more than two days at her
anchorage. On the third morning Mr Vanslyperken's signal was made to
prepare to weigh. He immediately answered it, and giving his orders to
Short, hastened, as fast as he could, up to the syndic's house to inform
Ramsay, stating, that he must immediately return on board again, and
that the letters must be sent to him: Ramsay perceived the necessity of
this, and consented. On his return to the boat, Mr Vanslyperken found
that his signal to repair on board the frigate had been hoisted, and he
hastened on board to put on his uniform and obey this order. He
received his despatches from the captain of the frigate, with orders to
proceed to sea immediately. Mr Vanslyperken, under the eye of his
superior officer, could not dally or delay: he hove short, hoisted his
mainsail, and fired a gun as a signal for sailing; anxiously looking out
for Ramsay's boat with his letters, and afraid to go without them; but
no boat made its appearance, and Mr Vanslyperken was forced to heave up
his anchor. Still he did not like to make sail, and he remained a few
minutes more, when he at last perceived a small boat coming off. At the
same time he observed a boat coming from the frigate, and they arrived
alongside the cutter about the same time, fortunately Ramsay's boat the
first, and Mr Vanslyperken had time to carry the letters down below.
"The commandant wishes to know why you do not proceed to sea, sir, in
obedience to your orders," said the officer.
"I only waited for that boat to come on board, sir," replied
Vanslyperken to the lieutenant.
"And pray, sir, from whom does that boat come?" inquired the officer.
"From the syndic's, Mynheer Van Krause," replied Vanslyperken, not
knowing what else to say, and thinking that the name of the syndic would
be 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, who
then went into his boat, and Vanslyperken made sail.
The delay of the cutter to receive the syndic's letters was fully
reported the same evening to the commandant, who, knowing that the
syndic was suspected, reported the same to the authorities, and this
trifling circumstance only increased the suspicions against the
unfortunate Mynheer Van Krause; but we must follow the cutter and those
on board of her. Smallbones had remained concealed on board, his wounds
had been nearly healed, and it was now again proposed that he should, as
soon as they were out at sea, make his appearance to frighten
Vanslyperken; and that, immediately they arrived at Portsmouth, he
should go on shore and desert from the cutter, as Mr Vanslyperken
would, of course, find out that his mother was killed, and the
consequences to Smallbones must be dangerous, as he had no evidence, if
Vanslyperken swore that he had murdered his mother; but this arrangement
was overthrown by events which we shall now narrate. It was on the
third morning after they sailed, that Vanslyperken walked the deck:
there was no one but the man at the helm abaft. The weather was
extremely sultry, for the cutter had run with a fair wind for the first
eight-and-forty hours, and had then been becalmed for the last
twenty-four, and had drifted to the back of the Isle of Wight, when she
was not three leagues from St. Helens. The consequence was, that the
ebb tide had now drifted her down very nearly opposite to that part of
the island where the cave was situated of which we have made mention.
Vanslyperken heard the people talking below, and, as usual, anxious to
overhear what was said, had stopped to listen. He heard the name of
Smallbones repeated several times, but could not make out what was said.
Anxious to know, he went down the ladder, and, instead of going into his
cabin, 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, and
then 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 best
way."
"But the corporal."
"Hush! there is some one there," said Spurey, who, attracted by a slight
noise made by Vanslyperken's boots, turned short round.
Vanslyperken retreated and gained the deck by the ladder; he had hardly
been up when he observed a face at the hatchway, who was evidently
looking to ascertain if he was on deck.
These few words overheard, satisfied Vanslyperken that Smallbones was
alive and on board the cutter; and he perceived how he had been played
with. His rage was excessive, but he did not know how to act. If
Smallbones was alive, and that he appeared to be, he must have escaped
from his mother, and, of course, the ship's company must know that his
life had been attempted. That he did not care much about: he had not
done the deed; but how the lad could have come on board! did he not see
him lying dead? It was very strange, and the life of the boy must be
charmed. At all events, it was a mystery which Mr Vanslyperken could
not solve; at first, he thought that he would allow Smallbones to come
into the cabin and get a loaded pistol ready for him. The words, "But
the corporal," which were cut short, proved to him that the corporal was
no party to the affair; yet it was strange that the ship's company could
have concealed the lad without the corporal's knowledge. Vanslyperken
walked and walked, and thought and thought; at last he resolved to go
down into his cabin, pretend to go to bed, lock his door, which was not
his custom, and see if they would attempt to come in. He did so, the
corporal was dismissed, and at twelve o'clock his door was tried and
tried again; but being fast, the party retreated. Vanslyperken waited
till two bells to ascertain if any more attempts would be made; but none
were, so he rose from his bed, where he had thrown himself with his
clothes on, and, opening the door softly, crept upon deck. The night
was very warm, but there was a light and increasing breeze and the
cutter was standing in and close to the shore to make a long board upon
next tack. Vanslyperken passed the man at the helm, and walked aft to
the taffrail; he stood up on the choak to ascertain what way she was
making through the water, and he was meditating upon the best method of
proceeding. Had he known where Smallbones' hammock was hung, he would
have gone down with the view of ascertaining the fact; but with a crew
so evidently opposed to him, he could not see how even the ascertaining
that Smallbones was on board would be productive of any good
consequences. 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's
eyes were accidentally cast upon it. He perceived a black mass lying on
the thwarts, and he examined it more closely: he heard snoring; it was
one of the ship's company sleeping there against orders. He leant over
the taffrail, and putting aside the great coat which covered the party,
he looked attentively on the face--there was no doubt it was Smallbones
himself. From a knowledge of the premises, Vanslyperken knew at once
that the lad was in his power.
The boat, after being hauled up with tackles, was hung by a single rope
at each davit. It was very broad in proportion to its length, and was
secured from motion by a single gripe, which confined it in its place,
bowsing it close to the stern of the cutter, and preventing it from
turning over bottom up, which, upon the least weight upon one gunwale or
the other, would be inevitably the case. Smallbones was lying close to
the gunwale next to the stern of the cutter. By letting go the gripe,
therefore, the boat would immediately turn bottom up, and Smallbones
would be dropped into the sea. Vanslyperken carefully examined the
fastenings of the gripe, found that they were to be cast off by one
movement, 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 Smallbones
cry for assistance. So Vanslyperken went forward to the man at the
helm, and desired him to go down and to order Corporal Van Spitter to
mix a glass of brandy-and-water, and send it up by him, and that he
would steer the vessel till he came up again. The man went down to
execute the order, and Vanslyperken steered the cutter for half a
minute, during which he looked forward to ascertain if any one was
moving. All was safe, the watch was all asleep forward, and
Vanslyperken, leaving the cutter to steer itself, hastened aft, cast off
the gripe, the boat, as he calculated, immediately turning over, and the
sleeping Smallbones fell into the sea. Vanslyperken hastened back to
the helm, and put the cutter's head right. He heard the cry of
Smallbones, but it was not loud, for the cutter had already left him
astern, and it was fainter and fainter, and at last it was heard no
more, 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 Mr
Vanslyperken.
The man returned with the brandy-and-water, with which Vanslyperken
drank _bon voyage_ to poor Smallbones. He then ordered the cutter to be
put about, and as soon as she was round he went down into his cabin and
turned 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, patting
Snarleyyow's head. "Your enemy is gone for ever."
And Mr Vanslyperken slept soundly, because, although he had committed a
murder, there was no chance of his being found out. We soon get
accustomed to crime: before, he started at the idea of murder; now, all
that he cared for was detection.
Good-night to you, Mr Vanslyperken.