nearly seven o'clock, as well, sir, as I can
remember."

Then I chimed in. "Ah!" I exclaimed quickly, "that was just the _very
time_ that Masters and I heard the shooting in the distance to win'ard,
and it was six bells in the second dog watch!"

"So it were, Master Haldane; so it were," agreed the old boatswain,
looking from me to the skipper and then at Colonel Vereker. "Well, I'm
blowed! and I'm glad, then, for that there ghost-ship wor a rael ship
arter all said and done. Now who was right, I'd like to know?"

"Of course it was a real ship, you old dotard!" said the skipper gruffly
and looking angrily at him. "Of course it was," he added, while our new
acquaintance looked at us, unable, naturally, to understand the mystical
allusion; but Captain Applegarth soon turned his roving thoughts into
another direction by asking him a second question. "How long did you
keep in sight of your vessel after leaving her, colonel, do you think?"

"She was in full view of us at sunrise this morning," replied the
American. "The boat in which we were adrift kept near her all night as
there was very little wind, if any. A slight breeze sprang up shortly
after the sun rose and she then steadily increased her distance from us
as the day wore on, finally disappearing from my gaze about noon, and
taking with her my little darling, my pet, my Elsie."

The poor fellow broke down again at this point throwing up his hands
passionately and burying his face in them, his whole frame convulsed
with sobs, though not a man present thought his emotion a thing to be
ashamed of, all of us being deeply interested in his narrative, and as
anxious as himself for the skipper to start off in pursuit of the black
mutineers and pirates.

We were not long kept in suspense, the colonel's last words and violent
burst of emotion apparently touching our "old man's" feelings deeply,
and hastening his decision.

"Cheer up, sir, cheer up," said he to the other, whose shoulders still
shook with his deep hysterical sobs. "And we'll find your little girl
yet for you all right, and restore her to you, and we'll settle matters
too, with those scoundrels, I promise. Now tell me how far off do you
think the ship must have drifted from us by now, Mr Fosset."

"Between twenty and thirty miles, sir," replied the first mate. "She
was lighter than us, and of course she had the advantage of what wind
there has been, though, thank goodness, that has been littl