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About ten minutes after the lieutenant had come on board, Snarleyyow jumped on deck, but, as all the men were forward in close consultation, and, in anticipation of Mr Vanslyperken's discovery of his loss, the dog gained the cabin, unperceived not only by the ship's company, but by Vanslyperken, who was busy locking up the letters entrusted to him by the French agent.
"This will do," observed the corporal solemnly. "Mein Gott! I wish it was over," continued he, wiping the perspiration from his bull-forehead. "How shall we kill him, corporal?" inquired Smallbones. "Mein Gott! knock him head against de tree, I suppose." "Yes, and bury him in the ditch. Here, dog Snarleyyow here, dog," said Smallbones; "come, a poor doggy come here."
What were his feelings when he beheld Snarleyyow lying in a corner tailless, with a puddle of blood behind him. "My poor, poor dog!" exclaimed Vanslyperken, covering up his face.
His sorrow soon changed to rage he invoked all the curses he could imagine upon Moggy's head he vowed revenge he stamped with rage and then he patted Snarleyyow; and as the beast looked wistfully in his face, Vanslyperken shed tears. "My poor, poor dog! first your eye and now your tail what will your persecutors require next? Perdition seize them! may perdition be my portion if I am not revenged.
One only looked or never thought of Vanslyperken, and that one was Smallbones, who watched the kicking and plunging of his natural enemy, Snarleyyow. Gradually, the dog relaxed his exertions, and Smallbones watched, somewhat doubtful, whether a dog who had defied every other kind of death would condescend to be hanged. At last Snarleyyow was quite still.
The fact was, that he was anxious to recover the fragment of Snarleyyow, which his mother had so contemptuously thrown out of the casement. In which Mr Vanslyperken is taken for a witch.
Now, as Snarleyyow had this time made up his mind that he would go on shore, and Short was willing to indulge him, for he knew that Smallbones, if he fell in with him would do his best to launch him into one of the canals, so convenient in every street, the cur was permitted to get into the boat, and was landed with the rest of the party, who, as usual, repaired to the Lust Haus of the widow Vandersloosh; where we must leave them for the present, and return to our friend, Mr Vanslyperken.
All this being arranged, he went to where Snarleyyow was busy gnawing wood with great pertinacity, and allowed him not only to smell, but to tear off the tail of the red-herring, under the door; and then gradually drew the herring along until he had brought it right under the hatch in the middle, which left it at the precise distance that the dog could snuff it but not reach it, which Snarleyyow now did, in preference to gnawing wood.
So saying, Mr Vanslyperken, with Snarleyyow at his heels, went down into the cabin undressed in the dark, for he would not let anyone know that he was on board. It being about three o'clock in the morning, and Mr Vanslyperken being well tired with the events of the day, he was soon in a sound sleep.
Smallbones was then cast loose by the corporal, who was twirling up his cat, when Snarleyyow, whom the marine had not watched, ran up to the lad, and inflicted a severe bite.
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