"I always say so," said Jansen, "I always say so--no tog, no tog, after
all."
"No, no," replied Coble, shaking his head.
Corporal Van Spitter was again summoned, but the corporal was restive as
a rhinoceros.
"Corporal," said Smallbones, who, since the glass of grog, was his
sincere ally, and had quite forgotten and forgiven his treatment, "go
down and see if you can't worm the truth out of him."
"Ay, do, do!" exclaimed the rest.
"Smallbones--Smallbones--wanted aft," was the next summons.
"And here I go," exclaimed Smallbones. "I defy the devil and all his
works--as we said on Sunday at the workhouse."
"That lad's a prime bit of stuff," observed Spurey, "I will say that."
"Yes," replied Short.
In a few seconds Smallbones came hastily up the ladder.
"Corporal, you must go to the cabin directly. He is in a devil of a
rage--asked me why you wouldn't come--told him that you had seen
something dreadful--didn't know what. Tell him you saw the devil at his
elbow--see if it frightens him."
"Yes, do," exclaimed the others.
Corporal Van Spitter made up his mind; he pulled down the skirts of his
jacket, descended the ladder, and walked aft into the cabin.
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