d before giving
the joker, whoever he might be, a chance to get away.

As he closed the door, he caught sight of something white and ghost-like
standing near the head of his berth. He shut the door softly and
locked it.

"Oh, my!" he cried. "A ghost! a ghost!" And then he raised his switch
and brought it down on the white object with all his might. Blow
after blow was delivered in rapid succession, for he wanted to get
in as many cracks as possible before the joker should expose himself.

"Dere you vos, you pad ghost!" he cried. "I dink you vos--"

At this point Hans stopped short. Something had entered his
nose--something that tickled exceedingly.

"Ker-chew! ker-chew!" he sneezed. "Vot is--ker-chew! I dink--ker-chew!
Oh, my! Ker-chew! I vos schneeze mine head--ker-chew! Stop dot,
somepody--ker-chew! Oh, dear--kerchew! Oben der door--ker-chew!"

Blinded, and sneezing violently, Hans dropped his switch and made
for the door. Throwing it wide open, he ran out to get some pure air,
for the stateroom was filled with floating pepper.

"I fix somepody for dis--ker-chew!" he roared. "Chust vait, you chokers!"

Then he caught sight of Tom, who stood nearby, grinning.

"Dot vos your drick!" he went on. "Chust you come here!"

"Thank you, not to-night, Hansy, my dear boy," said the joker, keeping
at a safe distance.

"Vell, den, you go 'long mit your old ghost," went on Hans, and,
picking up the peppered bolster and sheet, he threw them into Tom's
room, where the fun-loving youth had the pleasure of disposing of
the mess as best he could.

CHAPTER IV

TROUBLE WITH NEGROES

"The rolling, the rolling,
The rolling river for me!
The rolling river, the rolling river,
That carries us down to the sea!"

So sang Songbird Powell the next morning when he came out on deck
after a refreshing night's rest.

"Songbird, you're a regular lark," remarked Dick.

"I feel like one," was the answer. "Who wouldn't feel good on such
a glorious morning as this?"

"Maype you didn't haf some ghosts drouble you?" put in Hans with a grin.

"Forget it, Hans," answered Dick. "It's too fine a morning to think
of ghosts."

It was indeed a glorious morning, clear and balmy. The ladies of the
party were much pleased, and so were the girls. All gathered on the
deck to take in the sights before breakfast was announced by Aleck.

A big schooner was passing with all sails set, and, not long after
this, a large steamer, bound