among them bamboos there was a
roosh as if half-a-dozen people was a-comin' at me, and then some one
whispered something to the others, and they whispered back. It was jest
for all the world, sir, as if some one said `Hist! It ain't him,' and
t'others whispered back and that settled 'em into going on talking
together oneasy like; and then I come down."

"Without making out what it was, Tom," said Murray, laughing softly.

"Nay, sir; I seemed to know right enough; and it arn't nothing to laugh
at."

"What is it, then, Tom?"

"Why, sir, I don't go for to say as it is, but it sounded to me like
oneasy slaves as had met their ends aboard some o' they slaving craft,
and couldn't rest."

"Tom May!" said the middy; and he would have burst out laughing, but for
the thought that he might awaken the sick man in the room where he had
lain down to rest. "Come out here."

"It's of no use to say anything to the lads outside," grumbled the big
sailor, "for they think just the same as I do, sir."

"Why, you haven't spoken to them," said Murray.

"Not to-day, sir, but we often have talked about it, sir, and what might
happen to them fellows as man the slaving schooners. Something must
come to 'em some time or another after what they've done to the niggers.
Stands to reason, sir, as they can't go on always as they do."

"I'm not going to argue about that at a time like this, but I do wonder
at a big sensible fellow like you are, Tom--a sailor I always feel proud
of--beginning to talk about ghosts and rooms being haunted, just like
some silly superstitious old woman."

Tom May drew himself up proudly and smiled at the first portion of his
young officer's speech, but frowned at the latter and shook his head.

"Ah, it's all very well, sir, for a young gentleman like you to talk
that how, and you and Mr Roberts, sir, has been at me before and
laughed at me and my messmates; but, you see, we're a deal older than
you are, and been at sea two or three times as long. We've seen bad
storms, and all sorts o' wonders such as young people don't come
across."

"No doubt, Tom," said Murray quietly; "but come along outside. I want
to station my posts."

"Ay, ay, sir!" said the man, with a sigh of relief; but before he
followed his officer he stepped on tiptoe to the opening leading up to
the loft, and made an offer, so to speak, shrank back, then advanced
again, and ended by sharply and shrinkingly closing the screen-like door
an