"Water won't touch him, I sees that," observed Smallbones.
"No. Mein Gott, dat was to trow time and de trouble away," replied the
corporal.
"Hanging's just as natural a death for a cur," observed Spurey.
"Yes," observed Short.
"I'm afeard that the rope's not laid that's to hang that animal,"
observed Coble, shaking his head. "If water won't do, I'm persuaded
nothing will, for did not they use, in former days, to lay all spirits
in the Red Sea?"
"Yes," quoth Short.
"But he ban't a spirit yet," replied Smallbones; "he be flesh and blood
o' some sort. If I gets fairly rid of his body, d----n his soul, I say,
he may keep that and welcome."
"But then, you know, he'll haunt us just as much as ever--we shall see
him here just the same."
"A spirit is only a spirit," observed Smallbones; "he may live in the
cabin all day and night afore I care; but, d'ye see, there's a great
difference between the ghost of a dog, and the dog himself."
"Why, if the beast ar'n't natural, I can't see much odds," observed
Spurey.
"But I can feel 'em," replied Smallbones. "This here dog has a-bitten me
all to bits, but a ghost of a dog can't bite anyhow.
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