he mate didn't move.

"Anything else, Mr. Webb?"

"There is something else, sir," said the mate rather sheepishly.

"Well, out with it. Why, you look as if you'd seen a ghost!"

"Well, sir, there is a ghost, or demon, or something aboard of this very
ship, and some of the crew are in a state next door to mutiny about it."

"What on earth do you mean, Mr. Webb?"

The tall, handsome, fair-haired Webb leaned over the table and spoke to
Staysail almost in a whisper.

"It's the little professor they all blame, sir; and there are four of
them who swear the ship is haunted--that he keeps evil spirits under lock
and key for'ard--"

"But--but--Mr. Webb--Evil spirits under lock and key! Do you mean bad
rum? And who is he?"

"Hush, sir! don't talk so loud. He's walking the deck now. It's the
professor I mean, sir. As to the evil spirits, I've heard them
myself--mutter, mutter, squeak, squeak, squeak! Ugh! it is awful,
sir--awful!"

And the mate shuddered as he spoke.

Now, Staysail was always a good laugher, but at this tale he fairly
yelled with laughter until everything jingled in the cabin, and the tears
ran down his cheeks.

The mate never moved a muscle.

"That awful fore-cabin, sir!" he said. "It's in there, and Broomberg, the
Finlander, declares that if you don't land him and his mates at Bergen
they'll seize the ship and sail for Aberdeen."

"But why on earth don't you open the fore-cabin?"

"Oh, that's where it is, sir! The key is lost, or else the professor has
it."

"Hark!"

A squall at that moment struck the ship and heeled her over. It blew with
tremendous force for a time, and at last settled down to a steady gale.
But in less than an hour the captain's orders were carried out, and the
good ship _Valhalla_ was speeding before the wind at a good rate with
very little sail on her.

The storm increased towards midnight, and at that dark hour the
_Valhalla_ had to lie to under almost bare poles. So busy had all hands
been kept that there was very little time to think of ghosts or evil
spirits, and now that the crew had a chance of turning in, it is needless
to say that sleep was the first thing to be considered.

But fresh trouble came with the new day. The wind had gone down, and the
sea as well, and the _Valhalla_ was now bowling along on a pretty even
keel, for the breeze was well astern.

Webb, the mate, and Tom both slept in bunks in the same cabin. Just as
the steward was laying breakfast