and let her mistress know that he was come.  She ran up, leaving Mr Vanslyperken alone in the dark passage.  He waited for some time, when his naturally suspicious temper made him think he had been deceived, and he determined to wait outside of the house, which appeared very disreputable.  He therefore retreated to the inner door to open it, but found it fast.  He tried it again and again, but in vain, and he became alarmed and indignant.  Perceiving a light through another keyhole, he tried the door, and it was open; a screen was close to the door as he entered, and he could not see its occupants.  Mr Vanslyperken walked round, and as he did so, he heard the door closed and locked.  He looked on the other side of the screen, and, to his horror, found himself in company with Moggy Salisbury, and about twenty other females.  Vanslyperken made a precipitate retreat to the door, but he was met by three or four women, who held him fast by the arms.  Vanslyperken would have disgraced himself by drawing his cutlass; but they were prepared for this, and while two of them pinioned his arms, one of them drew his cutlass from its sheath, and walked away with it.  Two of the women contrived to hold his arms, while another pushed him in the rear, until he was brought from behind the screen into the middle of the room, facing his incarnate enemy, Moggy Salisbury.

“Good evening to you, Mr Vanslyperken,” cried Moggy, not rising from her chair.  “It’s very kind of you to come and see me in this friendly way—­come, take a chair, and give us all the news.”

“Mistress Salisbury, you had better mind what you are about with a king’s officer,” cried Vanslyperken, turning more pale at this mockery, than if he had met with abuse.  “There are constables, and stocks, and gaols, and whipping-posts on shore, as well as the cat on board.”

“I know all that, Mr Vanslyperken,” replied Moggy, calmly; “but that has nothing to do with the present affair:  you have come of your own accord to this house to see somebody, that is plain, and you have found me.  So now do as you’re bid, like a polite man; sit down, and treat the ladies.  Ladies, Mr Vanslyperken stands treat, and please the pigs, we’ll make a night of it.  What shall it be?  I mean to take my share of a bottle of Oporto.  What will you have, Mrs Slamkoe?”

“I’ll take a bowl of burnt brandy, with your leave, Mrs Salisbury, not being very well in my inside.”

“And you, my dear?”

“O, punch for me—­punch to the mast,” cried another.  “I’ll drink enough to float a jolly-boat.  It’s very kind of Mr Vanslyperken.”

All the ladies expressed their several wishes, and Vanslyperken knew not what to do; he thought he might as well make an effort, for the demand on his purse he perceived would be excessive, and he loved his money.

“You may all call for what you please,” said Vanslyperken, “but you’ll pay for what you call for.  If you think that I am to be swindled in this way out of my money, you’re mistaken.  Every soul of you shall be whipped at the cart’s tail to-morrow.”