Vanslyperken had been on board for two hours, and was in his cabin; the lights, however, were still burning.  The corporal was still up, anxiously waiting for the return of Smallbones, and he was very much alarmed when he heard Moggy come alongside.  Moggy soon detailed to the corporal, Dick Short, and Coble, all that had taken place, and what it was proposed should be done.  They assented willingly to the proposal, declaring that if Vanslyperken attempted to hurt the lad, they would rise, and throw Mr Vanslyperken overboard; and everything being arranged, Moggy was about to depart, when Vanslyperken, who was in a state of miserable anxiety and torture, and who had been drowning his conscience in scheedam, came on deck not a little the worse for what he had been imbibing.

“Who is that woman?” cried Vanslyperken.

“That woman is Moggy Salisbury,” cried Moggy, walking up to Vanslyperken, while the corporal skulked forward without being detected.

“Have I not given positive orders that this woman does not come on board?” cried Vanslyperken, holding on by the skylight.  “Who is that—­Mr Short?”

“Yes,” replied Short.

“Why did you allow her to come on board?”

“I came without leave,” said Moggy.  “I brought a message on board.”

“A message! what message—­to whom?”

“To you,” replied Moggy.

“To me—­from whom, you cockatrice?”

“I’ll tell you,” replied Moggy, walking close up to him; “from Lazarus the Jew.  Will you hear it, or shall I leave it with Dick Short?”

“Silence—­silence—­not a word; come down into the cabin, good Moggy.  Come down—­I’ll hear it then”

“With all my heart, Mr Vanslyperken, but none of your attacks on my vartue; recollect I am an honest woman.”

“Don’t be afraid, my good Moggy—­I never hurt a child.”

“I don’t think you ever did,” retorted Moggy, following Vanslyperken, who could hardly keep his feet.

“Well, there’s Abacadabra there, anyhow,” observed Coble to Short, as they went down.

“Why she turns him round her finger.”

“Yes,” quoth Short.

“I can’t comprehend this not no how.”

“No,” quoth Short.

As soon as they were in the cabin, Moggy observed the bottle of scheedam on the table.  “Come, Mr Vanslyperken, you’ll treat me to-night, and drink my health again, won’t you?”

“Yes, Moggy, yes—­we’re friends now, you know;” for Vanslyperken, like all others suffering under the stings of conscience, was glad to make friends with his bitterest enemy.

“Come, then, help me, Mr Vanslyperken, and then I’ll give my message.”

As soon as Moggy had taken her glass of scheedam, she began to think what she should say, for she had no message ready prepared; at last a thought struck her.

“I am desired to tell you, that when a passenger, or a person disguised as a sailor, either asks for a passage, or volunteers for the vessel, you are to take him on board immediately, even if you should know them in their disguise not to be what they pretend to be—­do you understand?”