Milford chronicle., 1885-06-05

as ghosts, that voice was bound 70
come from living person, because a
spectre couldn't possibly have lungs,
those organs being of a perishable
nature. and then sent him forward,
but no easier in his mind, / suspect,
than I was, Anyhow was glad when
eight bells struck and it was my turn to
90 below. But, as ] have said, nothing
came Of this-at least, nothing that
reached my ears. But not many nights
following the ship lay observation-disclosures
wasn't a breath Of air, and the sea lay
smooth as polished jet. This time had
the middle watch again. / was walking
quietly up and down the poop, on the
lookout for a deeper shadow upon the
sea to indicate the approach of wind,
when man came up the ladder and
said. There's some one a-talking to the
ship under the bows.
" Are you awake ?" said /,
"'Heaven help me, as l stand here,
sir, exclaimed the fellow, solemnly, II
that there voice which talked in the
hold t'other day amt now over the side.
II ran forward, and found most OF the
watch huddled together near the star
board cathead. ! peered over, and there
was a dead silence.
"'What are you looking over that
side for I'm here = said thin, faint
voice. that seemed more in the air than
in the sea.
"'There T exclaimed one OF the sea
men, in a boarse whisper, that's the
third time. Whichever side we look,
he's on the other.
&C. But there must be some one In the
water said another man. Anybody
see his houtline cuss me If couldn' {
swear I see a chap swimmin' just now
4" No, no, answered some one grutny,
nothing but phosphorus, Joe, and the
right sort of stuff, too, for if this ain t
you're liar, SAM came the
voice clear and, as one could swear,
plain from over the side.
"There was q general recoil, ana q
sort of groan ran among the men,
sat the same moment Icollared hg-
ure standing near me, and slued him
rvupd to bring his face fair to the star
LIGHT. clear Of the staysail. Come you
along with me, Master Dick, said Il
and 1 marched him of for the torecastlei
along the main deck, and up on to the
poop, 80 you're the ghost, ehT said
1. why, to have kept your secret You
should have given my elbow wider
berth. No wonder the voice only makes
observations in my watch. You're too
lazy, I suppose, to leave your hammock
TO try your wonderful power on the
mate. eh ? Now see here, said 1, finding
him silent, and noticing how white his
face Qlimmered to the stars, 4 know
vou're the man and you'd better confess.
Own the truth and I'll keep your secret,
provided you Delay all further tricks Of
this kind; deny that you're the ghost and
I'll speak to the captain and SET the men
upon you
"This fairly frightened him. We'll,
sir. it's true; I'm the voice, sir; but for
Gods sake, keep the secret, sir. The
men 'ud have my life if they found out
that it was me as scared them.
"Fhis confession was what I needed,
for though when standing pretty close
to him on the forecastle l could have
sworn that it was he who uttered the
words which perplexed and awed the
sailors, vet so perfect was the deception,
so fine and short was his skill as ven
triloauist that had he stoutly denied
and gone on denying that he was the
voice I should have believed him and
continued sharing in the wonder and
superstition of the crew. kept his secret
as I promised; but, somehow or other
it leaked out in time that he could de-
ceive the ear by apparently pitching
his voice among the rigging, or under
the deck, or over the side, though the
discovery was not made until the ghost
had for a long time ceased to trouble
the ships company, and until the mems
superstitious awe had faded somewhat,
and they had recovered their old cheer
fitness. We then sent for Dick to the
cabin. where he gave us a real entertain
ment as a ventriloquist, initiating al
sorts of animals, and producing sounds
as of women in distress and men singing
ont for help. in the berths; indeed such
was the skill that I'd often see the skip
per and the mate turning startled tC
| look in the direction whence the voices
proceeded. He made his peace with
the men by amusing them in the same
way so that instead Of getting the ropes
ending aft and the pummelling forward
which he deserved, he ended as a rea
and general favorite, and one OF the
most amusing fellows that a man evel
was shipmate with. 1 used to tell him
that if he chose to perform ashore he
was sure to make plenty of money, since
such ventriloquial powers as his were
the rarest thing in the world; and I'd
sometimes fancy he meant to take my
advice. But whether he did or KEEP
on going to sea I don't know, for aftel
he left the ship I never saw nor hearC
of him again.