e there be whole
schools o' 'em, wi' long hair hangin' about their ears an' over their
shoulders, just like reg'lar schools o' young girls goin' out for a walk
in the outskirts o' Portsmouth or Gravesend. Hush! theer be her voice
again!"

As the sailor ceased speaking, a tiny treble, such as might proceed from
the tongue of a child,--a girl of some eight or ten years old,--came
trembling over the waves, in tones that betokened a conversation.

A moment or two elapsed; and then, as if in reply to the words spoken by
the child, was heard another voice,--evidently that of a man!

"If the one be a maremaid," whispered Ben to his companion, "the other
must be a mareman. Shiver my timbers, if it ain't a curious confab!
Moonrakers and skyscrapers! what can it mean?"

"I don't know," mechanically answered the boy.

"Anyhow," continued the sailor, apparently relieved by the reflection,
"_It ain't the big raft_. There's no voice like that little 'un among
its crew o' ruffins; and that man, whosomever he be, don't speak like Le
Gros. I only thought so at first, bein' half asleep.

"If it be a school o' maremaids," pursued he, "theer an't no danger,
even wi' theer men along wi' 'em. Leastwise, I never heerd say there
wur from maremaids more'n any other weemen; an' not so much, I dare ay.
Sartin it bean't the Frenchman, nor any o' that scoundrel crew. Lord o'
mercy! It might be a ship as is passing near us!"

As this thought occurred to the speaker, he raised himself into an erect
attitude, as if to get a better view.

"I'll hail, Will'm," he muttered; "I'll hail 'em. Keep your ears open,
lad; and listen for the answer. _Ship ahoy_!"

The hail was sent in the direction whence the mysterious sounds appeared
to have proceeded. There came no response; and the sailor, after
listening attentively for a second or two, repeated the "Ship ahoy!"
this time in a louder key.

Quick as an echo the words came back, though it could not be an echo.
There are no echoes upon the ocean; besides, the voice that repeated the
well-known phrase was quite different from that of him who had first
pronounced it. Though different both in tone and accent, it was
evidently a human voice; and, as evidently, that of a man. A rude,
rough voice it was; but it is superfluous to say that, to the ears of
Ben Brace and his youthful companion, it sounded sweeter than any music
to which they had ever listened. The words "Ship ahoy!" were soon
su