Part 38 (1/2)
”We have solved every problem that we met,” said the professor while he, with Jack and Mark, were in the conning tower, as Was.h.i.+ngton was preparing a meal.
”Except two,” said Jack.
”What are they?”
”The ghost of the submarine, and the ident.i.ty of the anarchists who blew up the Easton hotel.”
”Perhaps both riddles may be solved before we get back to Maine,”
answered Mr. Henderson.
They both were, sooner, and in stranger ways than either of the boys expected. That night it was Jack's first watch on deck. The s.h.i.+p was speeding on, and by the air the boy knew they were approaching icebergs.
At midnight a strange and sudden chill in the air made him look up.
Almost dead ahead was a big berg. He quickly shut off the engine, and narrowly avoided a collision. Then happening to glance back he saw, standing near the companionway leading down into the man-hole a ghostly white shape.
”I'll find out what you are this time, or go overboard with you,” said Jack to himself, clenching his teeth. He crawled along the deck until he thought he was within leaping distance of the weird white thing. Then he made a leap.
He landed on something soft, which, the moment he struck it, let out a yell that sounded loud on the quiet night. Then the thing began to fight. But Jack fought back and held on bravely.
”Here! What are you tryin' to do?” exclaimed a voice in his ear.
”What are you trying to do?” asked Jack indignantly, finding that the words came from the ”ghost.”
”Nice way to treat a man! Half kill him!” the white thing went on. ”Just when I'm trying to get a little sleep you come along and pull me out of bed!”
”Why, it's Bill Jones,” exclaimed Jack, as the light from the conning tower lamp fell on the face of the ”ghost.”
”Of course it is; who did you think it was?” asked Bill.
”What are you doing on deck in your night s.h.i.+rt?” asked the boy, letting the helper rise.
”Me? On deck? Ain't I in my bunk?”
”I should say not,” replied Jack. ”What are you doing on deck?”
”Well! well!” remarked Bill, rubbing his eyes. ”I've gone and done it again.”
”Done what?”
”Walked in my sleep. I'm a great sleep walker. Greatest you ever knew.
Once I climbed to the top of our barn when I was asleep.”
”So you're the ghost of the submarine,” exclaimed Jack. ”That explains it.”
”I guess you're right,” admitted Bill, as the others came on deck to see what all the row was about. ”I never thought of it when I heard about the ghost, but I can account for it now. I'd get out of my bunk, wander out on deck, and then crawl back again. Of course, being barefoot, or in fur slippers, I made no sounds. I don't wonder you thought I was a spirit. Queer I didn't wake up after some of the things I went through.”
”And you always managed to get back to your bunk in time so that we never caught you at it,” said Jack. ”However, it's all over now.”
And so it was, for after that Bill tied a chair in front of his bunk, and if he did get out in his sleep he stumbled against it and awoke before he had gone far.