re constantly fixed upon the ship ahead, expecting
every minute that she would go about; but no, she continued her
course, and Philip followed with his own vessel.

"We are very close to the land, sir," observed Vander Hagen, the
lieutenant, who was the officer of the watch.

"So it appears to me: but the Admiral is closer, and draws much more
water than we do," replied Philip.

"I think I see the rocks on the beam to leeward, sir."

"I believe you are right," replied Philip: "I cannot understand this.
Ready about, and get a gun ready--they must suppose us to be ahead of
them, depend upon it."

Hardly had Philip given the order, when the vessel struck heavily on
the rocks. Philip hastened aft; he found that the rudder had been
unshipped, and the vessel was immovably fixed. His thoughts then
reverted to the Admiral. "Was he on shore?" He ran forward, and the
Admiral was still sailing on, with his poop-light, about two cables'
length ahead of him.

"Fire the gun, there," cried Philip, perplexed beyond measure.

The gun was fired, and immediately followed up by the flash and report
of another gun close astern of them. Philip looked with astonishment
over the quarter and perceived the Admiral's ship close astern to him,
and evidently on shore as well as his own.

"Merciful Heaven!" exclaimed Philip, rushing forward, "what can this
be?" He beheld the other vessel with her light ahead, still sailing on
and leaving them. The day was now dawning, and there was sufficient
light to make out the land. The _Dort_ was on shore not fifty yards
from the beach, and surrounded by the high and barren rocks; yet the
vessel ahead was apparently sailing on over the land. The seamen
crowded on the forecastle watching this strange phenomenon; at last it
vanished from their sight.

"That's the _Flying Dutchman_, by all that's holy!" cried one of the
seamen, jumping off the gun.

Hardly had the man uttered these words when the vessel disappeared.

Philip felt convinced that it was so, and he walked away aft in a very
perturbed state. It must have been his father's fatal ship which had
decoyed them to probable destruction. He hardly knew how to act. The
Admiral's wrath he did not wish, just at that moment, to encounter. He
sent for the officer of the watch, and, having desired him to select
a crew for the boat, out of those men who had been on deck, and could
substantiate his assertions, ordered him to go on board of the Admiral
an