going down
into the steerage. Together the boys said their morning and evening
prayers, just as they were accustomed to do in the pension in Hongkong,
and slept like nabobs in their little hammocks while the ship went
ploughing its way through the placid ocean.

The "St. George" was at this time in the sea between the New Britain
Archipelago, as the group of islands which now goes by the name of the
Bismarck Archipelago was at that time called, and the Soloman Islands.
With full sail the boat was running before a stiff northwest breeze.
The fiery tropical sun burned in the heavens, and far as the eye could
reach the waters rolled in a long swell on the deep blue southern sea.
A pair of screaming sea-gulls circled round the top of the mast, the
sails flapped, the rigging creaked, and the waters swished and dashed
against the sides of the vessel. Other sounds there were none. The
vessel might almost have been a phantom ship upon an enchanted sea.

Green sat near the wheel in the shade of one of the sails smoking his
pipe and with difficulty keeping his eyes open sufficiently to glance
at the big compass and the distant horizon occasionally. "If our
reckonings are right we shall sight the Soloman Islands now at any
minute," he said to himself, and was about to call to the man on watch
in the crow's nest to see that he was not asleep, when Willy came out
from the cabin and motioned to Green that he had something important to
tell him.

"Hello, Willy, what's the matter? Any one would think from the
expression on your face that you had seen 'The Klabautermann'!"

"The Klabautermann" is a spirit of the sea similar to the brownies of
the mountains and the goblins which play such a part in children's
stories. Ordinarily unseen this spirit helps the sailors in their work
when they are good and true, but when he appears with a fiery head and
green teeth, attired in riding boots, yellow hose, and pointed hat,--as
the sailors assert they have seen him--then look out. Beware of
misfortune. Some awful fate awaits the ship, so the superstitious
sailors solemnly swear.

"I have not seen 'The Klabautermann'," answered Willy, "and I don't
believe there is any such spirit, although you are so positive about
it; but I have something to tell you that will surprise you more than a
visit from the Flying Dutchman's haunted ship, that you told me about."

"Well, let's have the surprise."

"Can any one play eavesdropper here?"