Part 16 (2/2)

”I don't understand it at all, Jessop,” he said, in a puzzled voice.

”Are you sure it was a s.h.i.+p's light?”

”Yes, Sir. A green light. It was quite close.”

”I don't understand,” he said again. ”Run aft and ask the 'prentice to pa.s.s you down my night gla.s.ses. Be as smart as you can.”

”i, i, Sir,” I replied, and ran aft.

In less than a minute, I was back with his binoculars; and, with them, he stared for some time at the sea to leeward.

All at once he dropped them to his side, and faced round on me with a sudden question:

”Where's she gone to? If she's s.h.i.+fted her bearing as quickly as all that, she must be precious close. We should be able to see her spars and sails, or her cabin light, or her binnacle light, or something!”

”It's queer, Sir,” I a.s.sented.

”d.a.m.ned queer,” he said. ”So d.a.m.ned queer that I'm inclined to think you've made a mistake.”

”No, Sir. I'm certain it was a light.”

”Where's the s.h.i.+p then?” he asked.

”I can't say, Sir. That's just what's been puzzling me.”

The Second said nothing in reply; but took a couple of quick turns across the fo'cas'le head--stopping at the port rail, and taking another look to leeward through his night gla.s.ses. Perhaps a minute he stood there. Then, without a word, he went down the lee ladder, and away aft along the main deck to the p.o.o.p.

”He's jolly well puzzled,” I thought to myself. ”Or else he thinks I've been imagining things.” Either way, I guessed he'd think that.

In a little, I began to wonder whether, after all, he had any idea of what might be the truth. One minute, I would feel certain he had; and the next, I was just as sure that he guessed nothing. I got one of my fits of asking myself whether it would not have been better to have told him everything. It seemed to me that he must have seen sufficient to make him inclined to listen to me. And yet, I could not by any means be certain. I might only have been making an a.s.s of myself, in his eyes. Or set him thinking I was dotty.

I was walking about the fo'cas'le head, feeling like this, when I saw the light for the third time. It was very bright and big, and I could see it move, as I watched. This again showed me that it must be very close.

”Surely,” I thought, ”the Second Mate must see it now, for himself.”

I did not sing out this time, right away. I thought I would let the Second see for himself that I had not been mistaken. Besides, I was not going to risk its vanis.h.i.+ng again, the instant I had spoken. For quite half a minute, I watched it, and there was no sign of its disappearing.

Every moment, I expected to hear the Second Mate's hail, showing that he had spotted it at last; but none came.

I could stand it no longer, and I ran to the rail, on the after part of the fo'cas'le head.

”Green light a little abaft the beam, Sir!” I sung out, at the top of my voice.

But I had waited too long. Even as I shouted, the light blurred and vanished.

I stamped my foot and swore. The thing was making a fool of me. Yet, I had a faint hope that those aft had seen it just before it disappeared; but this I knew was vain, directly I heard the Second's voice.

”Light be d.a.m.ned!” he shouted.

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