“No,” replied Short.

“Well, we shall see,” replied Coble.  “I shall turn in now.  You’ve heard all about Smallbones, heh!  Dick?”

Short nodded his head.

“Well, we shall see:  but I’ll back the boy ’gainst master and dog too, in the long run.  D—­n his Dutch carcass, he seems to make but small count of English subjects, heh!”

Short leant over the gunwale and whistled.

Coble, finding it impossible to extract one monosyllable more from him, walked forward, and went down below.

A little before twelve o’clock a boat came alongside, and Ramsay stepped out of it into the cutter.  Vanslyperken had been walking the deck to receive him, and immediately showed him down into the cabin, where he left him to go on deck, and get the cutter under way.  There was a small stove in the cabin, for the weather was still cold; they were advanced into the month of March.  Ramsay threw off his coat, laid two pair of loaded pistols on the table, locked the door of the cabin, and then proceeded to warm himself, while Vanslyperken was employed on deck.

In an hour the cutter was outside and clear of all danger, and Vanslyperken had to knock to gain admittance into his own cabin.  Ramsay opened the door, and Vanslyperken, who thought he must say something, observed gloomily,

“We are all clear, sir.”

“Very good,” replied Ramsay; “and now, sir, I believe that you have despatches on board?”

“Yes,” replied Vanslyperken.

“You will oblige me by letting me look at them.”

“My despatches!” said Vanslyperken with surprise.

“Yes, sir, your despatches; immediately, if you please—­no trifling.”

“You forget, sir,” replied Vanslyperken angrily, “that I am not any longer in your power, but on board of my own vessel.”

“You appear not to know, sir, that you are in my power even on board of your own vessel,” replied Ramsay, starting up, and laying his hand over the pistols, which he drew towards him, and replaced in his belt.  “If you trust to your ship’s company you are mistaken, as you will soon discover.  I demand the despatches.”

“But, sir, you will ruin me and ruin yourself,” replied Vanslyperken, alarmed.

“Fear not,” replied Ramsay; “for my own sake, and that of the good cause, I shall not hurt you.  No one will know that the despatches have been ever examined, and——­”

“And what?” replied Vanslyperken, gloomily.

“For the passage, and this service, you will receive one hundred guineas.”

Vanslyperken no longer hesitated; he opened the drawer in which he had deposited the letters, and produced them.

“Now lock the door,” said Ramsay, taking his seat.