t
animosity towards our hero, as well as to his dumb favourite the bear.
As Philip held the rank of an officer, Schriften dared not openly
affront, though he took every opportunity of annoying him, and was
constantly inveighing against him before the ship's company. To the
bear he was more openly inveterate, and seldom passed it without
bestowing upon it a severe kick, accompanied with a horrid curse.
Although no one on board appeared to be fond of this man, everybody
appeared to be afraid of him, and he had obtained a control over the
seamen which appeared unaccountable.

Such was the state of affairs on board the good ship Ter Schilling,
when, in company with two others, she lay becalmed about two days' sail
to the Cape. The weather was intensely hot, for it was the summer in
those southern latitudes, and Philip, who had been lying down under the
awning spread over the poop, was so overcome with the heat, that he had
fallen asleep. He awoke with a shivering sensation of cold over his
whole body, particularly at his chest, and, half-opening his eyes, he
perceived the pilot, Schriften, leaning over him, and holding between
his finger and his thumb a portion of the chain which had not been
concealed, and to which was attached the sacred relic. Philip closed
them again, to ascertain what were the man's intentions: he found that
he gradually dragged out the chain, and, when the relic was clear,
attempted to pass the whole over his head, evidently to gain possession
of it. Upon this attempt Philip started up and seized him by the waist.

"Indeed!" cried Philip, with an indignant look, as he released the chain
from the pilot's hand.

But Schriften appeared not in the least confused at being detected in
his attempt: looking with his malicious one eye at Philip, he mockingly
observed--

"Does that chain hold her picture?--he! he!"

Vanderdecken rose, pushed him away, and folded his arms.

"I advise you not to be quite so curious, Master Pilot, or you may
repent it."

"Or perhaps," continued the pilot quite regardless of Philip's wrath,
"it may be a child's caul, a sovereign remedy against drowning."

"Go forward to your duty, sir," cried Philip.

"Or, as you are a Catholic, the finger-nail of a saint; or, yes, I have
it--a piece of the holy cross."

Philip started.

"That's it! that's it!" cried Schriften, who now went forward to where
the seamen were standing at the gangway.

"News for you, my lads!" said