went over to superintend the men who were
attempting to lash together some empties which were rolling about in
all directions amidships. A violent roll set them free again, and at the
same time separated two chests in the fo'c'sle, which were standing one
on top of the other. This enabled Satan, who was crouching in the lower
one, half crazed with terror, to come flying madly up on deck and
give his feelings full vent. Three times in full view of the horrified
skipper he circled the deck at racing speed, and had just started on the
fourth when a heavy packing-case, which had been temporarily set on end
and abandoned by the men at his sudden appearance, fell over and caught
him by the tail. Sam rushed to the rescue.

"Stop!" yelled the skipper.

"Won't I put it up, sir?" inquired Sam.

"Do you see what's beneath it?" said the skipper, in a husky voice.

"Beneath it, sir?" said Sam, whose ideas were in a whirl.

"The cat, can't you see the cat?" said the skipper, whose eyes had been
riveted on the animal since its first appearance on deck.

Sam hesitated a moment, and then shook his head.

"The case has fallen on the cat," said the skipper. "I can see it
distinctly."

He might have said heard it, too, for Satan was making frenzied appeals
to his sympathetic friends for assistance.

"Let me put the case back, sir," said one of the men, "then p'raps the
vision 'll disappear."

"No, stop where you are," said the skipper. "I can stand it better by
daylight. It's the most wonderful and extraordinary thing I've ever
seen. Do you mean to say you can't see anything, Sam?"

"I can see a case, sir," said Sam, speaking slowly and carefully,
"with a bit of rusty iron band sticking out from it. That's what you're
mistaking for the cat, p'raps, sir."

"Can't you see anything, cook?" demanded the skipper.

"It may be fancy, sir," faltered the cook, lowering his eyes, "but it
does seem to me as though I can see a little misty sort o' thing there.
Ah, now it's gone."

"No, it ain't," said the skipper. "The ghost of Satan's sitting there.
The case seems to have fallen on its tail. It appears to be howling
something dreadful."

The men made a desperate effort to display the astonishment suitable to
such a marvel, whilst Satan, who was trying all he knew to get his tail
out, cursed freely. How long the superstitious captain of the Skylark
would have let him remain there will never be known, for just then the
mate came on d