The obedient lieutenant opened the back-door, and Snarleyyow, who had not forgotten either the widow Or Babette, went out of his own accord.  Mr Vanslyperken looked to ascertain if the yard-door, which led to the street, was fast, and then returned, shutting the back-door after him.

Smallbones was waiting at the porch as usual.

“Babette,” cried the widow, “mind you don’t open the yard-door and let Mr Vanslyperken’s dog out.  Do you hear?”

Smallbones, who understood this as the signal, immediately slipped round, opened the yard-door, took the herring out of his pocket, and threw it to Snarleyyow.  The dog came to it, smelt it, seized it, and walked off, with his ears and tail up, to the sunny side of the yard, intending to have a good meal; and Smallbones, who was afraid of Mr Vanslyperken catching him in the act, came out of the yard, and hastened to his former post at the porch.  He caught Babette’s eye, coming down stairs, and winked and smiled.  Babette walked into the room, caught the eye of the mistress, and winked and smiled.  Upon which, the widow ordered Babette to empty the bread-bag and give it to Smallbones, to take on board,—­an order repeated by Vanslyperken.  Before he returned to the boat, Smallbones again passed round to the yard-door.  Snarleyyow was there, but no signs of the red-herring.  “He’s a eaten it all, by gum,” said Smallbones, grinning, and walking away to the boat, with the bread-bag over his shoulder.  As soon as he had arrived on board, the lad communicated the fact to the crew of the Yungfrau, whose spirits were raised by the intelligence, with the exception still of old Coble, who shook his head, and declared, “It was twopence and a red-herring thrown away.”

Mr Vanslyperken returned on board in the afternoon, fully expecting to hear of Smallbones being very ill.  He was surprised that the man in the boat did not tell him, and he asked them carelessly if there was anything new on board, but received a reply in the negative.  When he came on board, followed by Snarleyyow, the eyes of the crew were directed towards the dog, to see how he looked; but he appeared just as lively and as cross-grained as ever, and they all shook their heads.

Vanslyperken sent for Smallbones, and looked him hard in the face.  “Ar’n’t you well?” inquired he.

“Well, sir!” replied Smallbones:  “I’d a bit of a twinge in my stummick this morning, but it’s all gone off now.”

Mr Vanslyperken waited the whole day for Smallbones to die, but he did not.  The crew of the vessel waited the whole day for the cur to die, but he did not.  What inference could be drawn.  The crew made up their minds that the dog was supernatural; and old Coble told them that he told them so.  Mr Vanslyperken made up his mind that Smallbones was supernatural, and the corporal shook his head, and told him that he told him so.

The reason why Snarleyyow did not die was simply this, that he did not eat the red-herring.  He had just laid it between his paws, and was about to commence, when Smallbones, having left the yard-door open in his hurry, the dog was perceived by a dog bigger than he, who happened to pass that way, and who pounced upon Snarleyyow, trampling him over and over, and walked off with the red-herring, which he had better have left alone, as he was found dead the next morning.