“And beat him too,” said Coble.

“Yes,” said Short.

“Now, it’s my opinion, that Smallbones ar’n’t afraid of him,” continued Jemmy Ducks, “and devil or no devil, he’ll kill him if he can.”

“He’s the proper person to do it,” replied Coble; “the more so, as you may say that he’s his natural enemy.”

“Yes, mein Got, de poy is de man,” said Jansen.

“We’ll put him up to it at all events, as soon as he is out of his hammock,” rejoined Jemmy Ducks.

A little more conversation took place, and then it was carried unanimously that Smallbones should destroy the animal, if it was possible to destroy it.

The only party who was not consulted was Smallbones himself, who lay fast asleep in his hammock.  The consultation then broke up, and they all went below.

Chapter VI

In which, as often happens at sea when signals are not made out, friends exchange broadsides.

Notwithstanding all the precautions of the party on the forecastle, this consultation had been heard by no less a person than the huge Corporal Van Spitter, who had an idea that there was some mystery going on forward, and had contrived to crawl up under the bulwark, and throw himself down on the forestaysail, which lay between two of the guns.  Having so done without being perceived, for it was at the very moment that the party were all listening to Bill Spurey’s legend of the dog’s first appearance on board, he threw a part of the sail over his fat carcass, and thus remained undiscovered during the remainder of the colloquy.  He heard them all descending below, and remained still quiet, till he imagined that the forecastle was clear.  In the meantime Mr Vanslyperken, who had been walking the deck abaft, unaccompanied by his faithful attendant (for Snarleyyow remained coiled up on his master’s bed), was meditating deeply how to gratify the two most powerful passions in our nature, love and revenge:  at one moment thinking of the fat fair Vandersloosh, and of hauling in her guilders, at another reverting to the starved Smallbones and the comfort of a keel-hauling.  The long conference on the forecastle had not been unperceived by the hawk’s eye of the lieutenant, and as they descended, he walked forward to ascertain if he could not pick up some straggler who, unsupported by his comrades, might be induced by fear to acquaint him with the subject of the discussion.  Now, just as Mr Vanslyperken came forward Corporal Van Spitter had removed the canvas from his body, and was about to rise from his bed, when he perceived somebody coming forward.  Not making it out to be the lieutenant, he immediately dropped down again and drew the canvas over him.  Mr Vanslyperken perceived this manoeuvre, and thought he had now caught one of the conspirators, and, moreover, one who showed such fear as to warrant the supposition that he should be able to extract from him the results of the night’s unusually long conference.