ense; we have gone through a great deal and the nerves of
both of us are overstrained. We think we saw what we did not see, and
if you dare to say a single word of it to your mistress, I'll break your
neck. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Major, think so. All 'fernal nonsense, nerves strained, didn't see
what we see, and say nothing of what did see to Mrs. Major, if either
do say anything, t'other one break his neck. That all right, quite
understand. Anything else, Major?"

"Yes, Jeekie. We have had some wonderful adventures, but they are past
and done with and the less we talk or even think about them the better,
for there is a lot that would be rather difficult to explain, and that
if explained would scarcely be believed."

"Yes, Major, for instance, very difficult explain Mrs. Barbara how Asika
so fond of you if you only tell her, 'Go away, go away!' all the time,
like old saint-gentleman to pretty girl in picture. P'raps she smell
rat."

"Stop your ribald talk," said Alan in a stern voice. "It would be better
if instead of making jokes you gave thanks to Providence for bringing
both of us alive and well out of very dreadful dangers. Now I am going
to dress for dinner," and with an anxious glance seaward into the
gathering darkness, he turned and went.

Jeekie stood alone upon the empty deck, wagging his great white head to
and fro and soliloquizing thus:

"Wonder if Major see what under lady Asika's feet when she stand out
there over nasty deep. Think not or he say something. That noble lord
not look nice. No, private view for Jeekie only, free ticket and nothing
to pay and me hope it no come back when I go to bed. Major know nothing
about it, so he not see, but Jeekie know a lot. Hope that Aylward not
write any letters home, or if he write, hope no one post them. Ghost bad
enough, but murder, oh my!"

He paused a while, then went on:

"Jeekie do big sacrifice to Bonsa when he reach Yarleys, get lamb in
back kitchen at night, or if ghost come any more, calf in wood outside.
Not steal it, pay for it himself. Then think Jeekie turn Cath'lic;
confess his sins, they say them priest chaps not split, and after they
got his sins, they tackle Asika and Bonsas too," and he uttered a series
of penitent groans, turning slowly round and round to be sure that
nothing was behind him.

Just then the full moon appeared out of a bank of clouds, and as it rose
higher, flooding the world with light, Jeekie's spirits rose als