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 face the devil."
"Damn the devil!--and that's not swearing," exclaimed Short--such a long sentence out of his mouth was added to the marvels of the night--some even shrugged up their shoulders at that, as if it also were supernatural.
"I always say so," said Jansen, "I always say so--no tog, no tog, after all."
"No, no," replied Coble, shaking his head.
Corporal Van Spitter was again summoned, but the corporal was restive as a rhinoceros.
"Corporal," said Smallbones, who, since the glass of grog, was his sincere ally, and had quite forgotten and forgiven his treatment, "go down 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.