ailor would be sure to laugh at him if he were to say he had heard
a little girl talking at that time of night in the middle of the
Atlantic Ocean. Perhaps Ben might say it was a mermaid, and mock him in
that sort of style?

No: he would not run the risk of being ridiculed, even by his best of
friends. Better let the thing pass, and say nothing about it.

Little William had arrived at this resolution, and had more than half
determined to treat the sound he had heard as an _aurical_ delusion. He
had even replaced his cheek upon the sail-cloth pillow, when the very
same sound again fill upon his ear,--this time more distinctly heard, as
if either the utterance had been clearer or the being that made it was
nearer!

If it was not the voice of a girl,--a very young girl,--then the
boy-sailor had never listened to the prattling of his younger sister, or
the conversation of his little female playmates. If it was a young
mermaid, then most assuredly could mermaids talk: for the sound was
exactly like a string or series of words uttered in conversation!

Ben must be aroused from his slumber. It could not be an illusion.
Either a talking mermaid, or a little girl, was within earshot of the
raft.

There was no help for it: Ben must be aroused.

"Ben! Ben!"

"Ho--hah--ow--aw--what's the row?--seven bells, I bean't on the
dog-watch. Hi, hi, oh! it's you, little Will'm. What is't, lad?"

"Ben, I hear something."

"Hear somethin'! Well, what o' that, boy? Theer 's allers somethin' to
be heerd: even here, in the middle o' the Atlantic. Ah! boy, I was
dreamin' a nice dream when ye woke me. I thought I war back on the ole
frigate. 'T wa'nt so nice, eyther, for I thought the bos'n war roustin'
me up for my watch on deck. Anyhow, would a been better than this watch
here. Heerd something ye say? What d'ye mean, little Will'm?"

"I heard a voice, Ben. I think it was a voice."

"Voice--o' a human, do ye mean?"

"It sounded like that of a little girl."

"Voice o' a little girl! Shiver my timbers, lad, you're goin' demented!
Put yer face close to mine. Let me see ye, boy! Are ye in yer senses,
Will'm?"

"I am, Ben. I'm sure I heard what I've said. Twice I heard it. The
first time I wasn't sure; but just now I heard it again, and if--"

"If there hadn't been gulls, an' boobies, an' Mother Carey's chickens,
as squeals and chitters just like little childer, I'd a been puzzled at
what ye be a tellin' me; b