The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-07-03

| my companion. Il could nave sWoIn
 saw the figure of woman. I'm going to | get out of this. It's too uncanny for my
 liking"
 1 was of the same opinion as Dublin
 and I can tell you I felt far from being | comfortable. I had also fancied l saw | the figure of woman. but l thought 1.
 was just optical illusion until Dublin | spoke.
 Neither of us liked to show that we
 were reS1g frightened, yet at the same
 time we were in that nervous state when
 one likes to yell out at the top Of ones | voice just to relieve the strain. T don't think 1t was anything much, V | I said. in a shaky voice. 'Nor I, either," said Dublin, in tona little above a whisper. "All the same
 I think 1t would be a lot cooler on deck.
 It is rather hot here"
 He had hardly finished speaking when the light flashed up again so wildly as | to dazzle our eyes for matter or a couple of seconds. My heart seemed to | jump up into my throat and cold shivef | ran down the spine of my back. l gazed spellbound In the direction of the light. Dublin just gasped and gripped me by | the arm with force that under ordinary circumstances would have made me yell out in pain. The vision lasted. perhaps, couple of seconds, yet 1t seemed like an hour to | me. When 1t finally vanished the spell | that held us transfixed to the bench | seemed to vanish with it, and with yells that could be heard couple of miles of we both sprang for the door. I don't know what happened after that. I have a vague idea that the pair of us | fought and yelled like demons in our | efforts to get out. but the blessed door | wouldn't budge an inch. I also have an | idea that we finally fell on the deck | Whilst we were there struggling the door slid back-apparently of its own accord. Dublin was the first on his feet, and he sprang out as if there were pair of springs on his heels-to collide very heavily with somebdy or something as he went I followed him a fraction of second later. He fell in heap on the deck, and on top of him. But we didn't stop to find out what we had collhed with: we were up and off along the deck as though 10000 demons were after us. We ran aft, as 1t happened, and brought up alongside the wheel box, panting and blowing like pair of porpoises.
 What Is the mattaire?" asked the man at the wheel who. by the way. was an Italian What were all dose shoutings I heard a few minutes ago? Is anybody killed?"
 "Ghosts!" I gasped.
 Directly I mentioned the word the Ital- ian crossed QlISoll duQ COlHHlciicOu nut tering his prayers.
 ''Wheres the second mater asked Dublin. In a nervous whisper
 "He went to see what all the yells were about" replied the steersman. Didn't you see him7''
 "No we didn't" said Dublin.
 Something seemed to tell me that 1t was the second mate we had collided with as we came out of the carpenters shop, and think Dublin had the same idea.
 ''I'm going to clear out of this and get forrard to the forecastle," said Dublin, with a shiver.
 I quite agreed with him, for our nerves were so badly shaken that ghosts seemed to be lurking all round us. The Italian also seemed to be terror stricken he looked the picture of blue funk, and his hands trembled upon the wheel.
 Just then the moon sailed out from be- hind the clouds and cast its rays over the ship. The pale light cast grotesoue. ghostly-looking shadows everywhere; than ever.
 Come on Dublin, lets get of to the forecastle,'' said.
 Don't leave me by yourself, walled the Italian. q shall go mad If you do."
 You stop there and steer the ship" was the unsympathetic answer he got from Dublin "We are going to find the second mate. after we have had a con- sultation with the crowd: then we'll taken back to port I'm not going to sail in a haunted ship" And off the pair of us went forward.
 The door of the carpenters shop was on the starboard side, so we carefully made our way forward to the forecastle on the port side. When we arrived there we found the whole crew awake and out of their hunks, talking in whispers like lot of monkeys. and in several diff ferent languages at that.
 We were seized upon as soon as we entered, and in excited voices several of them asked us if we had seen the ghost and heard its yells.
 Well" said Dublin, addressing the crowd, i've will go aft and wake the skipper up and demand that he shall head the ship back to Cape Henlopen. We're not going to make voyage on this ship and be frightened out of our skins every time we go out on deck. Be- sides, it's my opinion that the appearance of that ghost Is an i'll omen, and if we continue on the voyage she'll sink with the, whole lot or us,
 This little speech of Dublin's was re- ceived with murmurs and gesticulations of approval Dubtin was about to pro- ceed with some more of his logic when the Italian whom we had left at the wheel interrupted him by dashing head long into the forecastle his eyes bulging out of his head and his hair. standing on end
 When he found his tongue he informed us that he had got frightened and left the wheel. On his way forward he had found the second mate lying dead out side the carpenters shop, and also saw the ghost-which latter sight caused his hurried entrance into the forecastle.
 Come on, boys" cried Dublin. when the tale was told; lets go aft in body to the skipper. We've had enough of this ship"
 We were about to move out of the stagger and lurch dangerously. The sails began to flap about and the masts creaked and groaned ominously. The whole ship seemed to be bewitched.
 We halted and looked at one another. frightened and dazed; then we huddled back into the forecastie like lot of sheep. All of us felt certain our end had come and 1t certainly would have done had not the skipper been thor ough seaman and quick at perception
 The unusual movements of the ship and the loud Tapping of the sails woke him up. Scenting that something was wrong he sprans out of his bunk and ran up on deck, to find no second mate on the poop no man at the wheel, and the ship com ing up into the wind and almost "aback, :"
 r-ol l~ino tp the situation at a Q1ance. he