“Was Smallbones at the block?” inquired Vanslyperken.

“He was, mynheer,” replied the corporal.

“Who held the dog while his tail was chopped off?” inquired Vanslyperken, “some one must have held him.”

This was a home question; but the corporal replied, “Yes, mynheer, some one must have held the dog.”

“You did not hear who it was, or if it were Smallbones?”

“I did not, mynheer,” replied the corporal; “but,” added he with a significant look, “I tink I could say.”

“Yes, yes, corporal, I know who you mean.  It was him—­I am sure—­and as sure as I sit here I’ll be revenged.  Bring a swab, corporal, and wipe up all this blood.  Do you think the poor animal will recover?”

“Yes, mynheer; there be togs with tail and togs without tail.”

“But the loss of blood—­what must be done to stop the bleeding?”

“Dat d——­n woman Moggy, when I say te tog die—­tog bleed to death, she say, tell Mynheer Vanslyperken dat de best ting for cure de cur be de red hot poker.”

Here Vanslyperken stamped his feet and swore horribly.

“She say, mynheer, it stop all de bleeding.”

“I wish she had a hot poker down her body,” exclaimed Vanslyperken, bitterly.

“Go for the swab, corporal, and send Smallbones here.”

Smallbones made his appearance.

“Did you come for—­to want me, sir?”

“Yes, sir.  I understand from the corporal that you held the dog while that woman cut off his tail.”

“If so be as how as the corporal says that ere,” cried Smallbones, striking the palm of his left hand with his right fist, “why I am jiggered if he don’t tell a lie as big as himself—­that’s all.  That ere man is my mortal henemy; and if that ere dog gets into trouble I’m a sartain to be in trouble too.  What should I cut the dog’s tail off for, I should like for to know?  I arn’t so hungry as all that, any how.”

The idea of eating his dog’s tail increased the choler of Mr Vanslyperken.  With looks of malignant vengeance he ordered Smallbones out of the cabin.

“Shall I shy this here overboard, sir?” said Smallbones, taking up the dog’s tail, which lay on the table.

“Drop it, sir,” roared Vanslyperken.

Smallbones walked away, grinning with delight, but his face was turned from Mr Vanslyperken.

The corporal returned, swabbed up the blood, and reported that the bleeding had stopped.  Mr Vanslyperken had no further orders for him—­he wished to be left alone.  He leaned his head upon his hand, and remained for some time in a melancholy reverie, with his eyes fixed upon the tail, which lay before him—­that tail, now a “bleeding piece of earth,” which never was to welcome him with a wag again.  What passed in Vanslyperken’s mind during this time, it would be too difficult and too long to repeat, for the mind flies over time and space with the rapidity of the lightning’s flash.  At last he rose, took up the dog’s tail, put it into his pocket, went on deck, ordered his boat, and pulled on shore.