The expression “life and soul,” made Vanslyperken shudder, and his flesh crept all over his body.

“Besides,” continued the widow, “it will be no small help to us, for the remuneration is very great.”

“To us!” thought Vanslyperken, who now thought it right to press his suit.  He was listened to attentively, and at last he proposed an early day for the union.  The widow blushed, and turned her head away, and at last replied, with a sweet smile, “Well, Mr Vanslyperken, I will neither tease you nor myself—­when you come back from your next trip, I consent to be yours.”

What was Vanslyperken’s delight and exultation!  He threw himself on his knees, promised, and vowed, and thanked, kissed hands, and was in such ecstasies!  He could hardly imagine that his good fortune was real.  A beautiful widow with a handsome fortune—­how could he ever have thought of throwing himself away upon such a bunch of deformity as the Frau Vandersloosh?  Poor Mr Vanslyperken!  Dinner put an end to his protestations.  He fared sumptuously, and drank freely to please the widow.  He drank death to the usurper, and restoration to the King James.  What a delightful evening!  The widow was so amiable, so gentle, so yielding, so, so, so—­what with wine and love, and fifty guineas in his pocket, Mr Vanslyperken was so overcome with his feelings, that at last he felt but so so.  After a hundred times returning to kiss her dear, dear hand, and at last sealing the contract on her lips, Mr Vanslyperken departed, full of wine and hope—­two very good things to lay in a stock of.

But there was something doing on board during Mr Vanslyperken’s absence.  Notwithstanding Mr Vanslyperken having ordered Moggy out of the cutter, she had taken the opportunity of his being away to go on board to her dear, darling Jemmy.  Dick Short did not prevent her coming on board, and he was commanding officer, so Moggy once more had her husband in her arms; but the fond pair soon retired to a quiet corner, where they had a long and serious conversation; so long, and so important, it would appear, that they did not break off until Mr Vanslyperken came on board, just before dark.  His quick eye soon perceived that there was a petticoat at the taffrail, where they retired that they might not be overheard, and he angrily inquired who it was, his wrath was not appeased when he heard that it was Salisbury’s wife, and he ordered her immediately to be put on shore, and sent for Corporal Van Spitter in his cabin, to know why she was on board.  The corporal replied, “That Mr Short had let her in; that he had wished to speak on the subject, but that Mr Short would not speak,” and then entertained his superior with a long account of mutinous expressions on the lower deck, and threats of doing him (Mr Vanslyperken) a mischief.  This conversation was interrupted by a messenger coming on board with the despatches, and an order to sail at daylight, and return immediately without waiting for any answers.