“If because I don’t splice with some true-hearted woman,
Who’d doat on my presence, and sob when I sail,
But put up with you, Poll, though faithful to no man,
With a fist that can strike, and a tongue that can rail;
’Tis because I’m not selfish, and know ’tis my duty
If I marry to moor by my wife, and not leave her,
To dandle the young ones,—­watch over her beauty,
D’ye think that I’d promise and vow, then deceive her?—­
Lord love you!!

“I suppose that you think ’cause I’m free with my money,
Which others would hoard and lock up in their chest,
All your billing and cooing, and words sweet as honey,
Are as gospel to me while you hang on my breast;
But no, Polly, no;—­you may take every guinea,
They’d burn in my pocket, if I took them to sea;
But as for your love, Poll, I indeed were a ninny,—­
D’ye think I don’t know you cheat others than me? 
Lord love you!!”

“Well, that’s a good song, Jemmy, and he can’t pull you up for that, anyhow.”

Mr Vanslyperken appeared to think otherwise, for he sent a marine forward to say, that no singing would be permitted in future, and that they were immediately to desist.

“I suppose we shall have a song considered as mutiny soon,” observed Coble.  “Ah, well, it’s a long lane that has no turning.”

“Yes,” replied Jemmy, in an under tone, “and for every rogue there’s a rope laid up.  Never mind, let us go below.”

Mr Vanslyperken’s dreaming thoughts of the fair widow were nevertheless occasionally interrupted by others not quite so agreeable.  Strange to say, he fully believed what Smallbones had asserted about his being carried out by the tide to the Nab buoy and he canvassed the question in his mind, whether there was not something supernatural in the affair, a sort of interposition of Providence in behalf of the lad, which was to be considered as a warning to himself not to attempt anything further.  He was frightened, although his feeling for revenge was still in all its force.  As for any one suspecting him of having attempted the boy’s life, he had recovered from that feeling; even if they did, who dare say a word?  There was another point which also engrossed the moody Vanslyperken, which was how he should behave relative to the widow Vandersloosh.  Should he call or should he not? he cared nothing for her, and provided he could succeed with the Portsmouth lady, he would pitch her to the devil; but still he remembered the old proverb, “You should never throw away dirty water before you are sure of clean.”  After some cogitation he determined upon still pressing his suit, and hoped at the same time that the widow would not admit him into her presence.  Such were the different resolves and decisions which occupied the mind of Mr Vanslyperken until he dropped his anchor at Amsterdam, when he ordered his boat to go on shore, and gave positive directions to Dick Short that no one was to leave the cutter on any pretence, for he was determined that as the widow would not have his company, she should not have the profits arising from his men spending their money at her house.