"Corporal Van Spitter," exclaimed Vanslyperken with a look of horror,
"are you really in earnest, or are you not in your senses--you
really saw him?"
"As true as I stand here," replied the corporal, who perceived his
advantage.
"Then the Lord be merciful to me a sinner!" exclaimed Vanslyperken,
falling on his knees, at the moment forgetting the presence of the
corporal, and then recollecting himself, he jumped up--"It is false,
Corporal Van Spitter; false as you are yourself--confess," continued the
lieutenant, seizing the corporal by the collar, "confess, that it is
all a lie."
"A lie," exclaimed the corporal, who now lost his courage, "a lie,
Mynheer Vanslyperken! If it was not the tyfel himself it was one of his
imps, I take my Bible oath."
"One of his imps," exclaimed Vanslyperken; "it's a lie--an infamous lie,
confess," continued he, shaking the corporal by the collar--"confess
the truth."
At this moment Snarleyyow considered that he had a right to be a party
in the fray, so he bounded forward at the corporal, who, terrified at
the supernatural beast, broke from Vanslyperken's grasp, and rushed out
of the cabin, followed, however, the whole length of the lower deck by
the dog, who snapped and bayed at him till he had gained the
fore ladder.
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