Year: 1862

He FASTENED forward as be spoke, and re-
peated his former question, in angry tones


A group of sailors were assembled in the
vicinity of the bell, but none Of them were very
near it, Al were gazing upon it, or up in the
air, or over the bows of the vessel. with coun-
tenances expressive of mingled wonder and
alarm They made no reply, and once again
the officer repeated his question.


"None on US, sir-none on Us struck the
bell arter Mr.. Hardy


DO you dare tell ME such barefaced false
hood? Do you mean to say that eight bells
were not distinctly struck. three distinct
times ?"


Z" 1 thought heard it, sir so did my ship
mates here; but 'twarnt nobody indeed aboard
struck the bell, arter Mr.. Hardy; and l take
it as how as 'twarnt our bell as struck"


I'm not TO be put off in this way" replied
the lieutenant. There's no vessel near US !;
there is nobody on the island and l distinctly
heard the bell-this bel-struck three times.
The matter shall be investigated thoroughly,
and the offender severely punished"


PLEASE, sir" said one Of the men, was
standing here where be now. and l thought
as how the bell sounded up in the air"


4 was on the folk sell, said another, and
to me it sounded as if the sound came from
over the bows


"'Twarnt no mortal hand struck that ere
bell, your homer, said an old boatswain's mate,
solemnly. 1t was struck by invisible spirits
and it tokens some'at. Once, many years ago,
on board the old Boadicea, heard bell
strike just the same way, and before week
the yellow fever broke out on board, and we
lost half the officers and crew"


" Stuff and nonsence - exclaimed the lieu-
tenant, half doubtful yet unwilling to give in
to superstition. Wen see in the morning if
this invisible spirit can't be found, and it'll
prove the worse for him for bis obstinacy'


He returned to the quarterback, where he
met the captain, just come up from the cabin.


Mr. Faulkner" said the latter, what is
the meaning of this? heard eight bells struck
twice, if not thrice


Three times, distinctly, sir" the lieutenant
replied


Indeed Strange. There was no vessel
within miles of US at dusk. and none could
have come up near enough for us to hear her
bell, with this slight breeze"


There is no vessel near, sir"


How do you mean? Who dared repeat
the strokes on the ships bell?"


That, sir, is what cannot find out The
men all positively deny having done SO, and
yet they all say they heard the strokes"


"Send the whole watch aft, sir, said the
captain.


The hands came aft in a body, the boatswain
at their head.


my men," SAID the captain, "some one of
you has committed a breach of discipline by
striking the bell without orders Whoever
has done so must be punished but if he will
confess, the punishment shall be light Other
wise, if | find out the guilty person, will pun
ish him severely. If fail in doing so-if you
all continue obstinate, for some of you must
know who did it-I will stop your grog for
week.


The men made no reply.


L" You will not answer" continued the cap
tain. Mr. Faulkner see that the whole
watch have their allowance of grog stopped
for week"


"Please your honor, its very hard" said
the old quartermaster who had spoken to the
lieutenant previously. It's very hard on US
as we should suffer for invisible spirits. I'll
take my davy, yer honor, as twas no mortal
hand that struck that bell"


Forward, all of you," said the captain
" Do you think III pay attention to such non
sence? Away with you."


1T is very strange, Mr. Faulkner continu-
ed the captain, when the men had gone for
ward "Old jackson is an honest old fellow
and he spoke in earnest. Possibly there may
be some vessel near. We shall see in the
morning"


The night was clear and calm, and the full
tropic moon shed light softer but almost as
light as day. The shores of the island and
their shadows were reflected, inverted in the
smooth water. A light breeze waited per-
fume from the land, and the scene from the
quarterback was exquisitely calm and beauti-
full.


alt is a shame to sleep on such night,
said the captain.


The third lieutenant had come on deck to
relieve the second, but both the officers and
the captain remained chatting together, in re,
ference to the sound Of the bell, which called
up several "reminiscences of strange and myste-
rious adventures at sea. \ good many Of the
watch also choose to remain on deck, and set
tied themselves down near the gun carriage TO
sleep, though for an hour they remained awake,
relating, like their superiors tales Of mysteri-