Snarleyyow, or, the Dog Fiend

by Frederick Marryat

  Chapter XXII

  In which Snarleyyow proves to be the devil, and no mistake.

  That the corporal mystified his lieutenant, may easily be supposed; butthe corporal had other work to do, and he did it immediately. He went upto Jemmy Ducks, who looked daggers at him, and said to him quietly,"That he had something to say to him as soon as it was dusk, and theywould not be seen together." Vanslyperken ordered the corporal to resumehis office, and serve out the provisions that afternoon: and to theastonishment of the men, he gave them not only full, but overweight; andinstead of abusing them, and being cross, he was good-humoured, andjoked with them; and all the crew stared at each other, and wonderedwhat could be the matter with Corporal Van Spitter. But what was theiramazement, upon Snarleyyow's coming up to him as he was serving outprovisions, instead of receiving something from the hand of the corporalas usual, he, on the contrary, received a sound kick on the ribs fromhis foot which sent him yelping back into the cabin. Their astonishmentcould only be equalled by that of Snarleyyow himself. But that was notall; it appeared as if wonders would never cease, for when Smallbonescame up to receive his master's provisions, after the others had beenserved and gone away, the corporal not only kindly received him, butactually presented him with a stiff glass of grog mixed with thecorporal's own hand. When he offered it, the lad could not believe hiseyes, and even when he had poured it down his throat, he would notbelieve his own mouth; and he ran away, leaving his provisions,chuckling along the lower deck till he could gain the forecastle, andadd this astonishing piece of intelligence to the other facts, whichwere already the theme of admiration.

  "There be odd chops and changes in this here world, for sartin,"observed Coble. (Exactly the same remark as we made at the end of theprevious chapter.)

  "Mayn't it all be gammon?" said Bill Spurey.

  "Gammon, for why?" replied Jemmy Ducks.

  "That's the question," rejoined Spurey.

  "It appears to me that he must have had a touch of conscience," saidCoble.

  "Or else he must have seen a ghost," replied Smallbones.

  "I've heard of ghosts ashore, and sometimes on board of a ship, but Inever heard of a ghost in a jolly-boat," said Coble, spitting underthe gun.

  "'Specially when there were hardly room for the corporal," added Spurey.

  "Yes," observed Short.

  "Well, we shall know something about it to-night, for the corporal and Iam to have a palaver."

  "Mind he don't circumwent you, Jimmy," said Spurey.

  "It's my opinion," said Smallbones, "that he must be in real arnest,otherwise he would not ha' come for to go for to give me a glass ofgrog--there's no gammon in that;--and such a real stiff 'un too,"continued Smallbones, who licked his lips at the bare remembrance of theunusual luxury.

  "True," said Short.

  "It beats my comprehension altogether out of nothing," observed Spurey."There's something very queer in the wind. I wonder where the corporalhas been all this while."

  "Wait till this evening," observed Jemmy Ducks; and, as this was veryexcellent advice, it was taken, and the parties separated.

  In the despatches it had been requested, as important negotiations weregoing on, that the cutter might return immediately, as there were othercommunications to make to the States General on the part of the King ofEngland; and a messenger now informed Vanslyperken that he might sail assoon as he pleased, as there was no reply to the despatches he hadconveyed. This was very agreeable to Vanslyperken, who was anxious toreturn to the fair widow at Portsmouth, and also to avoid the FrauVandersloosh. At dusk, he manned his boat and went on shore to theFrench agent, who had also found out that the cutter was ordered toreturn, and had his despatches nearly ready. Vanslyperken waited aboutan hour; when all was complete he received them, and then returnedon board.

  As soon as he had quitted the vessel, Corporal Van Spitter went toJemmy Ducks, and without letting him know how matters stood on shore,told him that he was convinced that Vanslyperken had sent him into theboat on purpose to lose him, and that the reason was, that he, VanSpitter, knew secrets which would at any time hang the lieutenant. Thatin consequence he had determined upon revenge, and in future would beheart and hand with the ship's company, but that to secure their mutualobject, it would be better that he should appear devoted to Vanslyperkenas before, and at variance with the ship's company.

  Now Jemmy, who was with all his wits at work, knew that it wasSmallbones who cut the corporal adrift; but that did not alter the case,as the corporal did not know it. It was therefore advisable to leave himin that error. But he required proofs of the corporal's sincerity, andhe told him so.

  "Mein Gott! what proof will you have? De proof of de pudding is in deeating."

  "Well, then," replied Jemmy, "will you shy the dog overboard?"

  "Te tog?--in one minute--and de master after him."

  Whereupon Corporal Van Spitter went down into the cabin, whichVanslyperken, trusting to his surveillance, had left unlocked, andseizing the cur by the neck, carried him on deck, and hurled him severalyards over the cutter's quarter.

  "Mein Gott! but dat is well done," observed Jansen.

  "And he'll not come back wid de tide. I know de tide, Mein Gott!"observed the corporal, panting with the exertion.

  But here the corporal was mistaken. Snarleyyow did not make for thevessel, but for the shore, and they could not in the dark ascertain whatbecame of him, neither was the tide strong, for the flood was nearlyover; the consequence was, that the dog gained the shore, and landed atthe same stairs where the boats land. The men were not in the boat, butwaiting at a beer-shop a little above, which Vanslyperken must pass whenhe came down again. Recognising the boat, the cur leapt into it, andafter a good shaking under the thwarts, crept forward to where the menhad thrown their pea-jackets under the bow-sheets, curled himself up,and went to sleep.

  Shortly afterwards the lieutenant came down with the men, and rowed onboard but the dog, which, exhausted with his exertion, was verycomfortable where he was, did not come out, but remained in hissnug berth.

  The lieutenant and men left the boat when they arrived on board, withoutdiscovering that the dog was a passenger. About ten minutes after thelieutenant had come on board, Snarleyyow jumped on deck, but, as all themen were forward in close consultation, and in anticipation of MrVanslyperken's discovery of his loss, the dog gained the cabin,unperceived not only by the ship's company, but by Vanslyperken, who wasbusy locking up the letters entrusted to him by the French agent.Snarleyyow took his station under the table, and lay down to finish hisnap, where we must leave him for the present in a sound sleep, and hissnoring very soon reminded Vanslyperken of what he had, for a short timeunheeded, that his favourite was present.

  "Well, it's very odd," observed Spurey, "that he has been on boardnearly half-an-hour, and not discovered that his dog is absentwithout leave."

  "Yes," said Short.

  "I know for why, mein Gott!" exclaimed the corporal, who shook his headvery knowingly.

  "The corporal knows why," observed Jemmy Ducks.

  "Then why don't he say why?" retorted Bill Spurey, who was still alittle suspicious of the corporal's fidelity.

  "Because Mynheer Vanslyperken count his money de guineas," replied thecorporal, writhing at the idea of what he had lost by his superior'sinterference.

  "Ho, ho! his money, well, that's a good reason, for he would skin aflint if he could," observed Coble; "but that can't last for ever."

  "That depends how often he may count it over," observed JemmyDucks--"but there's his bell;" and soon after Corporal Van Spitter'sname was passed along the decks, to summon him into the presence of hiscommanding officer.

  "Now for a breeze," said Coble, hitching up his trousers.

  "Yes," replied Short.

  "For a regular _shindy_," observed Spurey.

  "Hell to pay and no pitch hot," added Jemmy, laughing; and they allremained in anxious expectation of the corporal's return.

  Corporal Van
Spitter had entered the cabin with the air of theprofoundest devotion and respect--had raised his hand up as usual, butbefore the hand had arrived to its destination, he beheld Vanslyperkenseated on the locker, patting the head of Snarleyyow, as if nothing hadhappened. At this unexpected resuscitation, the corporal uttered atremendous "Mein Gott!" and burst like a mad bull out of the cabin,sweeping down all who obstructed his passage on the lower deck, till hearrived to the fore-ladder, which he climbed up with tottering knees,and then sank down on the forecastle at the feet of Jemmy Ducks.

  "Mein Gott, mein Gott, mein Gott!" exclaimed the corporal, putting hishands to his eyes as if to shut out the horrid vision.

  "What the devil is the matter?" exclaimed Coble.

  "Ah! mein Gott, mein Gott!"

  As it was evident that something uncommon had happened, they all nowcrowded round the corporal, who, by degrees, recovered himself.

  "What is it, corporal?" inquired Jemmy Ducks.

  Before the corporal could reply, Smallbones, who had been summoned tothe cabin on account of the corporal's unaccountable exit, sprang up theladder with one bound, his hair flying in every direction, his eyesgoggling, and his mouth wide open: lifting his hands over his head, andpausing as if for breath, the lad exclaimed with a solemn sepulchralvoice, "By all the devils in hell he's come again!"

  "Who?" exclaimed several voices at once.

  "Snarleyyow," replied Smallbones, mournfully.

  "Yes--mein Gott!" exclaimed Corporal Van Spitter, attempting to rise onhis legs.

  "Whew!" whistled Jemmy Ducks--but nobody else uttered a sound; they alllooked at one another, some with compressed lips, others with mouthsopen. At last one shook his head--then another. The corporal rose on hisfeet and shook himself like an elephant.

  "Dat tog is de tyfel's imp, and dat's de end on it," said he, with alarmstill painted on his countenance.

  "And is he really on board again?" inquired Coble, doubtingly.

  "As sartin as I stands on this here forecastle--a-kissing and slobberingthe lieutenant for all the world like a Christian," replied Smallbones,despondingly.

  "Then he flare fire on me wid his one eye," said the corporal.

  "Warn't even wet," continued Smallbones.

  Here there was another summons for Corporal Van Spitter.

  "Mein Gott, I will not go," exclaimed the corporal.

  "Yes, yes, go, corporal," replied Smallbones; "it's the best way to facethe devil."

  "Damn the devil!--and that's not swearing," exclaimed Short--such a longsentence out of his mouth was added to the marvels of the night--someeven shrugged up their shoulders at that, as if it also weresupernatural.

  "I always say so," said Jansen, "I always say so--no tog, no tog, afterall."

  "No, no," replied Coble, shaking his head.

  Corporal Van Spitter was again summoned, but the corporal was restive asa rhinoceros.

  "Corporal," said Smallbones, who, since the glass of grog, was hissincere ally, and had quite forgotten and forgiven his treatment, "godown and see if you can't worm the truth out of him."

  "Ay, do, do!" exclaimed the rest.

  "Smallbones--Smallbones--wanted aft," was the next summons.

  "And here I go," exclaimed Smallbones. "I defy the devil and all hisworks--as we said on Sunday at the workhouse."

  "That lad's a prime bit of stuff," observed Spurey, "I will say that."

  "Yes," replied Short.

  In a few seconds Smallbones came hastily up the ladder.

  "Corporal, you must go to the cabin directly. He is in a devil of arage--asked me why you wouldn't come--told him that you had seensomething dreadful--didn't know what. Tell him you saw the devil at hiselbow--see if it frightens him."

  "Yes, do," exclaimed the others.

  Corporal Van Spitter made up his mind; he pulled down the skirts of hisjacket, descended the ladder, and walked aft into the cabin. At thesight of Snarleyyow the corporal turned pale--at the sight of thecorporal, Mr Vanslyperken turned red.

  "What's the meaning of all this?" exclaimed Vanslyperken, in a rage."What is all this about, corporal? Explain your conduct, sir. What madeyou rush out of the cabin in that strange manner?"

  "Mein Gott, Mynheer Vanslyperken, I came for orders but I no come keepcompany wid de tyfel."

  "With the devil!--what do you mean?" exclaimed Vanslyperken, alarmed.The corporal, perceiving that the lieutenant was frightened, thenentered into a detail, that when he had entered the cabin he had seenthe devil sitting behind Mr Vanslyperken, looking over his shoulder, andgrinning with his great eyes, while he patted him over the back withhis left hand and fondled the dog with his right.

  This invention of the corporal's, "whom Mr Vanslyperken considered as astanch friend and incapable of treachery, had a great effect upon MrVanslyperken. It immediately rushed into his mind that he had attemptedmurder but a few days before, and that, that very day he had been atraitor to his country--quite sufficient for the devil to claim himas his own.

  "Corporal Van Spitter," exclaimed Vanslyperken with a look of horror,"are you really in earnest, or are you not in your senses--youreally saw him?"

  "As true as I stand here," replied the corporal, who perceived hisadvantage.

  "Then the Lord be merciful to me a sinner!" exclaimed Vanslyperken,falling on his knees, at the moment forgetting the presence of thecorporal, and then recollecting himself, he jumped up--"It is false,Corporal Van Spitter; false as you are yourself--confess," continued thelieutenant, seizing the corporal by the collar, "confess, that it isall a lie."

  "A lie," exclaimed the corporal, who now lost his courage, "a lie,Mynheer Vanslyperken! If it was not the tyfel himself it was one of hisimps, I take my Bible oath."

  "One of his imps," exclaimed Vanslyperken; "it's a lie--an infamous lie,confess," continued he, shaking the corporal by the collar--"confessthe truth."

  At this moment Snarleyyow considered that he had a right to be a partyin the fray, so he bounded forward at the corporal, who, terrified atthe supernatural beast, broke from Vanslyperken's grasp, and rushed outof the cabin, followed, however, the whole length of the lower deck bythe dog, who snapped and bayed at him till he had gained thefore ladder.

  Once more did the corporal make his appearance on the forecastle,frightened and out of breath.

  "Mein Gott! de man is mad," exclaimed he, "and de tog is de tyfelhimself." The corporal then narrated in broken English what had passed.For some time there was a confused whispering among the men; theyconsidered the dog's reappearance on this occasion even more wonderfulthan on the former, for the men declared positively that he never cameoff in the boat, which, had he done, would have unravelled the wholemystery; and that a dog thrown overboard, and swept away by the tideshould be discovered shortly after perfectly dry and comfortable, notonly on board of the cutter, which he could not have got on board of,but also in his master's cabin, which he could not get into withoutbeing seen, proved at once that the animal was supernatural. No one wasnow hardy enough to deny it, and no one appeared to have the least ideaof how to proceed except Smallbones, who, as we have shown, was as fullof energy as he was deficient in fat. On all occasions of this kind thebravest becomes the best man and takes the lead, and Smallbones, whoappeared more collected and less alarmed than the others, was nowlistened to with attention, and the crowd collected round him.

  "I don't care for him or for his dog either," exclaimed Smallbones, witha drawling intrepid tone; "that dog I'll settle the hash of some way orthe other, if it be the devil's own cousin. I'll not come for to go toleave off now, that's sartain, as I am Peter Smallbones--I'se gota plan."

  "Let's hear Smallbones,--let's hear Smallbones!" exclaimed some of themen. Whereupon they all collected round the lad, who addressed the crewas follows. His audience, at first, crowded up close to him, butSmallbones, who could not talk without his arms, which were about aslong and thin as a Pongo's are in proportion to his body, flapped andflapped as he discoursed, until he had cleared a little ring,
and whenin the height of his energy he threw them about like the arms of awindmill, every one kept at a respectable distance.

  "Well, now, I considers this, if so be as how the dog be a devil, andnot a dog, I sees no reason for to come for to go for to be afraid; forar'n't we all true Christians, and don't we all fear God and honour theking? I sartainly myself does consider that that ere dog could not ahave cummed into this here vessel by any manner of means natural not byno means, 'cause it's very clear, that a dog if he be as he be a dog,can't do no more than other dogs can; and if he can do more than heitherdog or man can, then he must be the devil, and not a dog--and so heis--that's sartain. But if so be as he is the devil, I say again, Idon't care, 'cause I sees exactly how it is,--he be a devil, but he beonly a sea-devil and not a shore-devil, and I'll tell you for why.Didn't he come on board some how no how in a gale of wind when he wascalled for? Didn't I sew him up in a bread-bag, and didn't he come backjust as nothing had happened; and didn't the corporal launch him into asurge over the taffrail, and he comes back just as if nothing hadhappened? Well, then, one thing is clear; that his power be on thewater, and no water will drown that ere imp, so it's no use trying nomore in that way, for he be a sea-devil. But I thinks this: he goes onshore and he comes back with one of his impish eyes knocked out clean bysomebody or another somehow or another, and, therefore, I argues that hehave no power on shore not by no means; for if you can knock his eyeout, you can knock his soul out of his body, by only knocking a littlemore to the purpose. Who ever heard of any one knocking out the devil'seye, or injuring him in any way?--No; because he have power by sea andby land: but this here be only a water-devil, and he may be killed ondry land. Now, that's just my opinion, and as soon as I gets him onshore, I means to try what I can do. I don't fear him, nor his master,nor anything else, 'cause I'm a Christian, and was baptised Peter; and Itells you all, that be he a dog, or be he a devil, I'll have a shy athim as soon as I can, and if I don't, I hope I may be d--d, that's all."

  Such was the oration of Smallbones, which was remarkably well received.Everyone agreed with the soundness of his arguments, and admired hisresolution, and as he had comprised in his speech all that could be saidupon the subject, they broke up the conference, and everyone went downto his hammock.