Part 18 (1/2)
”He's choking, I should think,” said Tommy, leaning forward. ”Look! he's waving his hand at us.”
Both sprang up hastily, but ere they could make any attempt to escape the skipper and mate emerged from the companion and walked towards them.
”Look here,” said the skipper, turning to the mate, and indicating the culprits with his hand; ”perhaps you'll disbelieve in dreams now.”
”'Strordinary!” said the mate, rubbing his eyes, as Bill stood sullenly waiting events, while the miserable Tommy skulked behind him.
”I've heard o' such things,” continued the skipper, in impressive tones, ”but I never expected to see it. You can't say you haven't seen a ghost now, Bob.”
”'Strordinary!” said the mate, shaking his head again. ”Lifelike!”
”The s.h.i.+p's haunted, Ned,” cried the skipper in hollow tones. ”Here's the sperrits o' Bill and the boy standing agin the windla.s.s.”
The bewildered old seaman made no reply; the smaller spirit sniffed and wiped his nose on his cuff, and the larger one began to whistle softly.
”Poor things!” said the skipper, after they had discussed these extraordinary apparitions for some time. ”Can you see the windla.s.s through the boy, Bob?”
”I can see through both of 'em,” said the mate slyly.
They stayed on deck a little longer, and then coming to the conclusion that their presence on deck could do no good, and indeed seemed only to embarra.s.s their visitors, went below again, leaving all hands a prey to the wildest astonishment.
”Wot's 'is little game?” asked Simpson, coming cautiously up on deck.
”d.a.m.ned if I know,” said Bill savagely.
”He don't really think you're ghosts?” suggested the cook feebly.
”O' course not,” said Bill scornfully. ”He's got some little game on.
Well, I'm going to my bunk. You'd better come too, Tommy. We'll find out what it all means tomorrer, I've no doubt.”
On the morrow they received a little enlightenment, for after breakfast the cook came forward nervously to break the news that meat and vegetables had only been served out for three. Consternation fell upon all.
”I'll go an' see 'im,” said Bill ravenously.
He found the skipper laughing heartily over something with the mate. At the seaman's approach he stepped back and eyed him coolly.
”Mornin', sir,” said Bill, shuffling up. ”We'd like to know, sir, me an'
Tommy, whether we can have our rations for dinner served out now same as before?”
”_Dinner?_” said the skipper in surprise. ”What do you want dinner for?”
”Eat,” said Bill, eyeing him reproachfully.
”Eat?” said the skipper. ”What's the good o' giving dinner to a ghost?
Why you've got nowhere to put it.”
By dint of great self-control Bill smiled in a ghastly fas.h.i.+on, and patted his stomach.
”All air,” said the skipper turning away.