The Great Ghost Ship
When we were called again, at a to four, the man who us out, had some information.
"Toppin's gone—clean vanished!" he told us, as we to turn out. "I was in such a damned, hair-raisin' as this here. It ain't safe to go about the bloomin' decks."
"'oo's gone?" asked Plummer, up and his over his bunk-board.
"Toppin, one of the 'prentices," the man. "We've been huntin' all over the bloomin' show. We're still at it—but we'll him," he ended, with a of assurance.
"Oh, I dunno," said Quoin. "P'raps 'e's snoozin' 'bout."
"Not him," the man. "I tell you we've everythin' down. He's not the bloomin' ship.
"Where was he when they last saw him?" I asked.
"Someone must know something, you know!"
"Keepin' time up on the poop," he replied. "The Old Man's nearly the life out of the Mate and the at the wheel. And they say they don't know nothin'."
"How do you mean?" I inquired. "How do you mean, nothing?"
"Well," he answered. "The was there one minute, and then the next thing they knew, he'd gone. They've black an' that there wasn't a whisper. He's just off of the of the bloomin' earth."
I got on to my chest, and for my boots.
Before I speak again, the man was saying something fresh.
"See here, mates," he on. "If is goin' on like this, I'd like to know where you an' me'll be befor' long!"
"We'll be in 'ell," said Plummer.
"I as I like to think 'bout it," said Quoin.
"We'll have to think about it!" the man. "We've got to think a bloomin' about it. I've talked to our side, an' they're game."
"Game for what?" I asked.
"To go an' talk to the bloomin' Capting," he said, his at me. "It's make for the nearest bloomin' port, an' don't you make no bloomin' mistake."
I opened my mouth to tell him that the was we should not be able to make it, if he the Old Man to see the from his point of view. Then I that the had no idea of the I had seen, and out; so, instead, I said:
"Supposing he won't?"
"Then we'll have to bloomin' well make him," he replied.
"And when you got there," I said. "What then? You'd be well locked up for mutiny."
"I'd sooner be locked up," he said. "It don't kill you!"
There was a of agreement from the others, and then a moment of silence, in which, I know, the men were thinking.
Jaskett's voice into it.
"I at as she was 'aunted—" he commenced; but
Plummer cut in across his speech.
"We mustn't 'urt any one, know," he said. "That'd 'angin', an' they ain't been er crowd.
"No," everyone, the who had come to call us.
"All the same," he added. "It's got to be up hellum, an' her into the nearest bloomin' port."
"Yes," said everyone, and then eight went, and we out on deck.
Presently, after roll-call—in which there had come a queer, little pause at Toppin's name—Tammy came over to me. The of the men had gone forrard, and I they were talking over plans for the Skipper's hand, and making him put into port—poor beggars!
I was over the port rail, by the brace-lock, into the sea, when Tammy came to me. For a minute he said nothing. When at last he spoke, it was to say that the had not been there since daylight.
"What?" I said, in some surprise. "How do you know?"
"I up when they were for Toppin," he replied. "I've not been asleep since. I came here, right away." He to say something further; but stopped short.
"Yes," I said encouragingly.
"I didn't know—" he began, and off. He my arm. "Oh, Jessop!" he exclaimed. "What's going to be the end of it all? Surely something can be done?"
I said nothing. I had a that there was very little we do to help ourselves.
"Can't we do something?" he asked, and my arm. "Anything's than this! We're being murdered!"
Still, I said nothing; but into the water. I plan nothing; though I would mad, of thinking.
"Do you hear?" he said. He was almost crying.
"Yes, Tammy," I replied. "But I don't know! I don't know!"
"You don't know!" he exclaimed. "You don't know! Do you we're just to give in, and be murdered, one after another?"
"We've done all we can," I replied. "I don't know what else we can do, unless we go and lock ourselves in, every night."
"That would be than this," he said. "There'll be no one to go below, or anything else, soon!"
"But what if it came on to blow?" I asked. "We'd be having the out of her."
"What if it came on to now?" he returned. "No one would go aloft, if it were dark, you said, yourself! Besides, we her right down, first. I tell you, in a days there won't be a alive this packet unless they well do something!"
"Don't shout," I him. "You'll have the Old Man you." But the was up, and would take no notice.
"I will shout," he replied. "I want the Old Man to hear. I've a good mind to go up and tell him."
He started on a fresh tack.
"Why don't the men do something?" he began. "They ought to well make the Old Man put us into port! They ought—"
"For sake, up, you little fool!" I said. "What's the good of talking a of like that? You'll be into trouble."
"I don't care," he replied. "I'm not going to be murdered!"
"Look here," I said. "I told you before, that we shouldn't be able to see the land, if we it."
"You've no proof," he answered. "It's only your idea."
"Well," I replied. "Proof, or no proof, the Skipper would only her up, if he to make the land, with as they are now."
"Let him her up," he answered. "Let him well her up! That would be than out here to be overboard, or from aloft!"
"Look here, Tammy—" I began; but just then the Second Mate out for him, and he had to go. When he came back, I had started to walk to and from, across the of the mainmast. He joined me, and after a minute, he started his wild talk again.
"Look here, Tammy," I said, once more. "It's no use your talking like you've been doing. Things are as they are, and it's no one's fault, and nobody can help it. If you want to talk sensibly, I'll listen; if not, then go and to someone else."
With that, I returned to the port side, and got up on the spar, again, to on the and have a of a talk with him. Before I over, into the sea. The action had been almost mechanical; yet, after a instants, I was in a of the most excitement, and without my gaze, I out and Tammy's arm to his attention.
"My God!" I muttered. "Look!"
"What is it?" he asked, and over the rail, me. And this is what we saw: a little the surface there a pale-coloured, slightly-domed disc. It only a down. Below it, we saw clearly, after a moment's staring, the of a royal-yard, and, deeper, the and standing-rigging of a great mast. Far among the I thought, presently, that I make out the immense, of decks.
"My God!" Tammy, and up. But presently, he gave out a exclamation, as though an idea had come to him; and got off the spar, and ran on to the fo'cas'le head. He came back, after a look into the sea, to tell me that there was the of another great up there, a off the bow, to a of the surface of the sea.
In the meantime, you know, I had been like through the water at the huge, just me. I had out by bit, until now I see the jackstay, along the top of the mast; and, you know, the itself was set.
But, you know, what was at me more than anything, was a that there was movement in the water there, among the rigging. I I actually see, at times, moving and and to and in the gear. And once, I was that something was on the royal-yard, moving in to the mast; as though, you know, it might have come up the of the sail. And this way, I got a that there were there.
Unconsciously, I must have and out over the side, staring; and suddenly—good Lord! how I yelled—I overbalanced. I a grab, and the brace, and with that, I was in a moment upon the spar. In the same second, almost, it to me that the surface of the water above the was broken, and I am sure now, I saw something a moment in the air against the ship's —a of in the air; though I did not it at the time. Anyway, the next instant, Tammy gave out an scream, and was over the rail, in a second. I had an idea then that he was jumping overboard. I him by the of his britchers, and one knee, and then I had him on the deck, and sat on him; for he was and all the time, and I was so and and gone to mush, I not have my hands to him. You see, I then it was anything but some at work on him; and that he was trying to to go over the side. But I know now that I saw the shadow-man that had him. Only, at the time, I was so mixed up, and with the one idea in my head, I was not able to notice anything, properly. But, afterwards, I a (you can understand, can't you?) what I had at the time without taking in.
And now looking back, I know that the was only like a faint-seen in the daylight, against the of the decks, against Tammy.
And there was I, all and sweating, and with my own tumble, on the little beggar, and he like a thing; so that I I should him.
And then I the Second Mate and there came along the deck. Then many hands were and hauling, to me off him.
"Bl—y cowyard!" out someone.
"Hold him! Hold him!" I shouted. "He'll be overboard!"
At that, they to that I was not ill-treating the youngster; for they stopped me, and allowed me to rise; while two of them took of Tammy, and him safe.
"What's the with him?" the Second Mate was out. "What's happened?"
"He's gone off his head, I think," I said.
"What?" asked the Second Mate. But I answer him, Tammy to struggle, and upon the deck.
"'e's fainted," said Plummer, with some sympathy. He looked at me, with a puzzled, air. "What's 'appened? What's 'e been doin'?"
"Take him into the berth!" ordered the Second Mate, a abruptly. It me that he to prevent questions. He must have to the that we had something, about which it would be not to tell the crowd.
Plummer to the boy.
"No," said the Second Mate. "Not you, Plummer. Jessop, you take him." He to the of the men. "That will do," he told them and they forrard, a little.
I the boy, and him aft.
"No need to take him into the berth," said the Second Mate. "Put him on the after hatch. I've sent the other for some brandy."
Then the came, we Tammy and soon him round. He sat up, with a air. Otherwise, he and enough.
"What's up?" he asked. He of the Second Mate. "Have I been ill, Sir?" he exclaimed.
"You're right now, youngster," said the Second Mate. "You've been a off. You'd go and for a bit."
"I'm all right now, Sir," Tammy. "I don't think—"
"You do as you're told!" the Second. "Don't always have to be told twice! If I want you, I'll send for you."
Tammy up, and his way, in an fashion, into the berth. I he was to down.
"Now then, Jessop," the Second Mate, to me. "What's been the of all this? Out with it now, smart!"
I to tell him; but, almost directly, he put up his hand.
"Hold on a minute," he said. "There's the breeze!"
He jumped up the port ladder, and out to the at the wheel.
Then again.
"Starboard brace," he out. He to me. "You'll have to telling me afterwards," he said.
"i, i, Sir," I replied, and to join the other at the braces.
As soon as we were up on the port tack, he sent some of the watch up to the sails. Then he out for me.
"Go on with your yarn now, Jessop," he said.
I told him about the great vessel, and I said something about Tammy—I about my not being sure now he had to jump overboard. Because, you see, I to that I had the shadow; and I the of the water above the truck. But the Second did not wait, of course, for any theories, but was away, like a shot, to see for himself. He ran to the side, and looked down. I followed, and him; yet, now that the surface of the water was by the wind, we see nothing.
"It's no good," he remarked, after a minute. "You'd away from the rail any of the others see you. Just be taking those to the capstan."
From then, until eight bells, we were hard at work the sail upon her, and when at last eight went, I to my breakfast, and a sleep.
At midday, when we on for the watch, I ran to the side; but there was no of the great ship. All that watch, the Second Mate me at my mat, and Tammy he put on to his sinnet, telling me to keep an on the youngster. But the boy was right enough; as I now, you know; though—a most thing—he opened his the whole afternoon. Then at four o'clock, we for tea.
At four bells, when we came on again, I that the light breeze, which had us going the day, had dropped, and we were only just moving. The sun was low down, and the sky clear. Once or twice, as I across to the horizon, it to me that I again that odd in the air that had the of the mist; and, on two occasions, I saw a thin of drive up, out of the sea. This was at some little on our port beam; otherwise, all was and peaceful; and though I into the water, I make out no of that great ship, in the sea.
It was some little time after six that the order came for all hands to sail for the night. We took in the and t'gallants, and then the three courses. It was after this, that a the ship that there was to be no look-out that night after eight o'clock. This naturally a good of talk among the men; as the yarn that the fo'cas'le doors were to be and as soon as it was dark, and that no one was to be allowed on deck.
"'oo's goin' take wheel?" I Plummer ask.
"I s'pose they'll 'ave us take 'em as usual," one of the men. "One of officers is be on poop; so we'll 'ave company."
Apart from these remarks, there was a opinion that—if it were true—it was a act on the part of the Skipper. As one of the men said:
"It ain't likely that there'll be any of us missin' in mornin', if we in our all night."
And soon after this, eight went.
