e figure slowly advanced. The eyes were sunken, the face pale, the
hair hung damp and matted around the face and brow. The clothes were
ragged and clung closely to the body. The eyes had, or seemed to have,
an unnatural brightness. They were fixed steadily upon the officers.
Step by step, nearer and nearer the figure came. But it spoke no word.
There could be no mistake about it. It was Pipe the drowned boatswain!

Now Sergeant True, like most sensible persons, knew that if there were
such things as ghosts they must be harmless creatures. He had often said
that; and declared that he would like to meet a ghost. But if the truth
were known, he would rather have been excused just then. However, he
spoke at last.

"Speak! whatever you be! Spirit, ghost, or living flesh,--tell us what
you are, and why you are come here!"

The figure stopped. A strange, familiar light played upon the pale face,
and glimmered around the corner of the eyes. Then into the death-like
silence the image spoke with a husky voice:

"Well, shipmates, this is a rather tough greeting on one's return from a
long voyage! What's i' the wind, that you all run from your old comrade,
and stand staring at me as though I were a ghost? Hey, my boy, don't
you know Sophie's daddy?"

[Illustration: FIG. 105.--"A Colony of Youngling Orbweavers as Snugly
Tented Under a Jack-in-the-Pulpit."]

"Pipe, Pipe! it is Pipe himself!" exclaimed True, and he rushed forward
and took the dear old sailor in his arms.

"There, there," said the boatswain, "that'll do for the present. Cast
off grapnels, please, and save your hugging for some one who likes it
better. Hello, you lubbers!"--addressing the sailors,--"get up, here!
I'm ashamed of the cloth, I am. Yes, it's Pipe--who else? Want proof of
it, do you?" The sailors were sitting upon the ground staring, dumb and
incredulous, upon their old officer. "Well, here goes then. You know the
sound of pipe to quarters, I'll be bound." So saying he put his whistle
to his lips, and sounded the old familiar note.

It was enough. The frightened foragers rose and shook hands with Pipe.
The scattered runaways came back. An eager crowd surrounded the
boatswain to hear him explain this marvelous resurrection from the deep.

"Well, it's easily enough explained. Come to think of it now, I don't
wonder that you took me for a ghost. In sooth, it is not often that a
Brownie stays under water for a whole day, and comes up again, unless,
may