story," replied the captain.
"And the old Catholic priest to boot, for he stood by me the whole
time I was on deck. The men said that some accident would happen; and
in the morning watch, on sounding the well, we found four feet water.
We took to the pumps, but it gained upon us, and we went down, as I
have told you. The mate says that the vessel is well known--it is
called the _Flying Dutchman_."

Philip made no remarks at the time, but he was much pleased at what
he had heard. "If," thought he, "the Phantom Ship of my poor father
appears to others as well as to me, and they are sufferers, my being
on board can make no difference. I do but take my chance of falling
in with her, and do not risk the lives of those who sail in the same
vessel with me. Now my mind is relieved, and I can prosecute my search
with a quiet conscience."

The next day Philip took an opportunity of making the acquaintance of
the Catholic priest, who spoke Dutch and other languages as well as
he did Portuguese. He was a venerable old man, apparently about sixty
years of age, with a white flowing beard, mild in his demeanour, and
very pleasing in his conversation.

When Philip kept his watch that night, the old man walked with him,
and it was then, after a long conversation, that Philip confided to
him that he was of the Catholic persuasion.

"Indeed, my son, that is unusual in a Hollander."

"It is so," replied Philip; "nor is it known on board--not that I am
ashamed of my religion, but I wish to avoid discussion."

"You are prudent, my son. Alas! if the reformed religion produces no
better fruit than what I have witnessed in the East, it is little
better than idolatry."

"Tell me, father," said Philip--"they talk of a miraculous vision--of
a ship not manned by mortal men. Did you see it?"

"I saw what others saw," replied the priest; "and certainly, as far as
my senses would enable me to judge, the appearance was most unusual--I
may say supernatural; but I had heard of this Phantom Ship before, and
moreover that its appearance was the precursor of disaster. So did it
prove in our case, although, indeed, we had one on board, now no more,
whose weight of guilt was more than sufficient to sink any vessel;
one, the swallowing up of whom, with all that wealth from which he
anticipated such enjoyment in his own country, has manifested that
the Almighty will, even in this world, sometimes wreak just and awful
retribution on those who have mer