Corporal Van Spitter had entered the cabin with the air of the
profoundest devotion and respect--had raised his hand up as usual, but
before the hand had arrived to its destination, he beheld Vanslyperken
seated on the locker, patting the head of Snarleyyow, as if nothing had
happened. At this unexpected resuscitation, the corporal uttered a
tremendous "Mein Gott!" and burst like a mad bull out of the cabin,
sweeping down all who obstructed his passage on the lower deck, till he
arrived to the fore-ladder, which he climbed up with tottering knees,
and then sank down on the forecastle at the feet of Jemmy Ducks.
"Mein Gott, mein Gott, mein Gott!" exclaimed the corporal, putting his
hands to his eyes as if to shut out the horrid vision.
"What the devil is the matter?" exclaimed Coble.
"Ah! mein Gott, mein Gott!"
As it was evident that something uncommon had happened, they all now
crowded round the corporal, who, by degrees, recovered himself.
"What is it, corporal?" inquired Jemmy Ducks.
Before the corporal could reply, Smallbones, who had been summoned to
the cabin on account of the corporal's unaccountable exit, sprang up the
ladder with one bound, his hair flying in every direction, his eyes
goggling, and his mouth wide open: lifting his hands over his head, and
pausing as if for breath, the lad exclaimed with a solemn sepulchral
voice, "By all the devils in hell he's come again!"
"Who?" exclaimed several voices at once.
Pages:
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262