"
Whereupon Jemmy put his pipe to his mouth, and after a long flourish,
bawled out what appeared to Mr Vanslyperken to be--all hands to _be
heel-hauled;_ but Jemmy slurred over quickly the little change made in
the order, and, although the men tittered, Mr Vanslyperken thought it
better to say nothing. But there is an old saying, that you may bring a
horse to the pond, but you cannot make him drink. Mr Vanslyperken had
given the order, but no one attempted to commence the arrangements. The
only person who showed any activity was Smallbones himself, who, not
aware that he was to be punished, and hearing all hands piped for
something or another, came shambling, all legs and wings, up the
hatchway, and looked around to ascertain what was to be done. He was met
by the bulky form of Corporal Van Spitter, who, thinking that
Smallbones' making his appearance in such haste was with the intention
of jumping overboard to avoid his punishment, immediately seized him by
the collar with the left hand, turned round on a pivot towards Mr
Vanslyperken, and raising his right hand to his foraging cap, reported,
"The prisoner on deck, Mynheer Vanslyperken.
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