whatever it was, had passed on into the hazy moonlit night
and was gone.

"Hullo here! Anything the matter, Rodd?" cried the familiar voice of
Dr Robson, as he came quickly forward, followed by the skipper. "Where
is it?"

"Where is it, uncle?" faltered the boy.

"Yes; that man Cross came running down to us in the cabin to say that
they had seen the sea-serpent again."

Rodd slowly raised one hand from the rail to which he had been holding,
and pointed outward over the sea.

"Well," said Uncle Paul, "what are you pointing out? Plenty of
moonlight, and glorious phosphorescence, but where's the sea-serpent?
Where did it show again? Why, what's the matter, boy?" he continued,
catching his nephew by the arm and taking his hand. "Don't stand
staring like that. Your hand's all wet, and like ice! Have you been
frightened?"

"I--don't know, uncle, I suppose so," said the boy slowly and dreamily.
"I never saw anything like it before, and--and--it came so close to the
schooner. I think I thought it was going to make a snatch at me and
take me under water. But don't ask me now, please. I don't feel quite
right. I suppose I am cowardly; but it made Gregg run away."

"Then why didn't you," said the doctor jocularly, "if it was so horrible
as that?"

"I couldn't, uncle," cried the boy passionately. "I turned cold all
over and couldn't stir."

"Well, come down below for a bit," continued the doctor. "Why, Chubb,
the boy's had a regular scare."

"Ah! and no wonder," said the skipper gruffly. "It scared the men too.
They saw it."

"What, the same thing that you fired at?"

"Ah, that I don't know. That was a great long eely thing; but Joe Cross
here says this was more like a great turtle, with flippers and a long
neck, and a head like a snake."

No more was said till they were in the cabin, where soon after he had
found himself in safety, shut in and with the swinging lamp burning
above his head, Rodd heaved a deep sigh and then uttered a forced laugh.

"I couldn't help it, uncle," he said, "and I didn't think I could have
been such a coward; but I am all right now. The other men did see it
too, didn't they?"

"Yes, my lad; they saw it too," replied the skipper; "and next time we
goes ashore, if we are stupid enough to talk about it every one will
laugh and say we are making up tales for the marines. I've known
skipper after skipper who has seen something of the kind in the warm
seas and has told yar