Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-06-10


about eleven o'clock IA The moznin1
that. tito captain being On deck, the
cook steps cnk q tbs galley, comes
walking along fhe poop. snd going up
30 the skipper tonohea his cap. and
stands looking 81 him.
What dye want 2 said the cap
Tain, eying him e though be took him
to DO mad.
/. Didn't Jon eall. snip saya che
: Dan r oriss the skippsr. Certainly
'sThe man looked stupid With sur-
prise. and muttering something 70 him-
salf, went forward. Ten minutes after
be came up again 20 the skipper, and
says, s1eB, sir 7 % q man might who
answers 30 call. The skipper Began
70 swear &c him, and called him luna
tic, and 30 on; but she man finding he
vas wrong again, grew white and swore
that Il ne was on hia death-bed he'd
maintain that the captain had called
him twice.
1.-THE skipper, who was . rather
nervous man, turned % me. end said !:
What do you make OF this, Mr.. Green Z
/ can't doubt the cooks word. Who's
calling him IN my voice 2
"sOh, it's some illusion, sir. said I.
feeling puzzled for all that.
ssBut the cook, with the tears actually
standing In his eyes, declared IL was no
illusion; he'd know the captains voice
Il it was nine miles OF. And he then
walked in q dazed way toward the fore
castle, singing out that whether the
voice he had heard belonged 70 q ghost
or Christian man, il might go on cali
ing Cook + for the next twenty years
without his taking further notice Of II.
This thing, coming so soon after the
cali TO Jim that had so greatly alarmed
the two ordinary seamen, made q great
impression on the crew; and never re.
greet anything more than that my posi-
ton should have prevented me nom
getting into their confidence, and learn
ing their thoughts, for there Is no doubt
/ should have slowed away memories
enough 70 serve me for many q hearty
laugh in after years.
"a few days rolled by without any
thing particular happening. One night
1t came TO my turn 10 have the drst
watch. It was 3 quiet night, with wind
enough TO keep the sails still while the
old ship went drowsily rolling along her
course 10 the African port. Suddenly /
heard . great commotion forward,
and, fearing that some accident had hap
pened, I called out to know what the
matter was. a voice answered Ghost
or no ghost, there's somebody stalking
IA the forehold: come and listen, sir.
The silence that followed suggested Q
good deal Of alarm. sang out rs APP
preached the men Perhaps there's .
stowawsy below
g IT'S no living voice, was the reply:
&c sounds as If Il comes from . skel-
ington.
sT found q crowd Of men standing IL
awed pastures near the hatch, and the
most frightened Of al looked to me to
be the ordinary seaman Dick, who had
backed away on the other side Of the
hatch, and stood looking on, leaning
with bis hands on his knees, and staring
as II he were fascinated. waited &
couple or three minutes, which, in o
business Of this kind, seems q long time,
and, hearing nothing, was going TO
rfdicule the men for their nervousness.
when q hollow voice under the hatch
said distinctly, It's q terrible thing to
be ghost and not be able to get out.
was greatly startled, and ran oft to tell
the captain, who agreed with me that
there must be stowaway IN the hold,
and that he had gone mad. We both
went forward, and the hatch was lifted,
and We looked on top Of the coal: and
was then about to ask some Of the men
to join me in o search in the forepeak,
for upon my word had no taste single
handed for q job Of that kind at such q
moment, when the voice said, sThere's
no use looking, you'll never and me.
I'm not to be seen.
50 sConfound me I cried the skipper,
polishing his forehead with pocket
handk erchief, if ever heard Of such q
thing. I'll tell you what il is, he shout
ed, looking into the hatch, dead men
can't talk, and so, as you're bound 10 be
alive, you'd better come mp ont Of that.
and smartly, too-d'ye hear-or you'll
6nd this the worst attempt at skylarking
that was ever made.
ssThere was short silence, and you'd
zee all hands straining their eyes, for
there was light enough for that, given
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held.
8 sYou couldn't catch me because you
couIdn't find me, said the voice, IN .
die-away tone, and this time it came
from the direction Of the main hatch,
as though IL had fitted eft.
well, says the captain, may I be
iIcgered 7 and without another word he
walked away On to the poop.
ST told the men to clap the matches
on again, and they did this In double
quick time, evidently afraid that the
ghost might pop up out Of the hold Il
they didn't mind their ere.
sAlI this made "a very superstitfous,
from the captain down to the boys. We
tailed il over il the cabin, and the mate
was incredulous. and disposed to ridi-
cule me.
g Any way. said be, It's strange
that this voice Is only heard In your
watch. It's never favored me with any
remarks. The creaking and groaning of
an old wooden ship Is often Ike spoken
words. and what you've bean hearing