On his arrival on board, he found an order from the Admiralty to discharge James Salisbury.  This added to his choler and his meditations of revenge.  Jemmy Ducks had not been forgotten; and he determined not to make known the order until he had punished him for his mutinous expressions; but Moggy had come on board during his absence, and delivered to her husband the letter from the Admiralty notifying his discharge.  Vanslyperken sent for Corporal Van Spitter to consult, but the corporal informed him that Jemmy Ducks knew of his discharge.  Vanslyperken’s anger was now without bounds.  He hastened on deck, and ordered the hands to be turned up for punishment, but Corporal Van Spitter hastened to give warning to Jemmy, who did not pipe the hands when ordered.

“Where is that scoundrel, James Salisbury?” cried Vanslyperken.

“Here is James Salisbury,” replied Jemmy, coming aft.

“Turn the hands up for punishment, sir.”

“I don’t belong to the vessel,” replied Jemmy, going forward.

“Corporal Van Spitter—­where is Corporal Van Spitter?”

“Here, sir,” said the corporal, coming up the hatchway in a pretended bustle.

“Bring that man, Salisbury, aft.”

“Yes, sir,” replied the corporal, going forward with assumed eagerness.

But all the ship’s company had resolved that this act of injustice should not be done.  Salisbury was no longer in the service, and although they knew the corporal to be on their side, they surrounded Jemmy on the forecastle, and the corporal came aft, declaring that he could not get near the prisoner.  As he made this report a loud female voice was heard alongside.

“So, you’d flog my Jemmy, would you, you varmint?  But you won’t though; he’s not in the service, and you sha’n’t touch him; but I’ll tell you what, keep yourself on board, Mr Leeftenant, for if I cotches you on shore, I’ll make you sing in a way you don’t think on.  Yes, flog my Jemmy, my dear darling duck of a Jemmy—­stop a minute—­I’m coming aboard.”

Suiting the action to the word, for the sailors had beckoned to Moggy to come on board, she boldly pulled alongside, and skipping over, she went up direct to Mr Vanslyperken.  “I’ll just trouble you for my husband, and no mistake,” cried Moggy.

“Corporal Van Spitter, turn that woman out of the ship.”

“Turn me, a lawful married woman, who comes arter my own husband with the orders of your masters, Mr Leeftenant!—­I’d like to see the man.  I axes you for my Jemmy, and I’ll trouble you just to hand him here—­if not, look out for squalls, that’s all.  I demand my husband in the king’s name, so just hand him over,” continued Moggy, putting her nose so close to that of Mr Vanslyperken that they nearly touched, and then after a few seconds’ pause, for Vanslyperken could not speak for rage, she added, “Well, you’re a nice leeftenant, I don’t think.”

“Send for your marines, Corporal Van Spitter.”