and every available spot from which a
sight of the old fellow could be had.

"Very soon they saw that he was not approaching the ship: the old sinner
was just turning and turning around in the water, like a fishing-cork,
dancing away all to himself, while the moonlight, first on one side, and
then on the other, in light and shadow, gave a queer sort of look to his
features, sometimes sad and sometimes funny.

"After watching him for a few minutes, Bill Ellis, the second captain of
the foretop, hailed him thus: 'Sadler, ahoy! What do you want?'

"No answer being received, one of the mizzentop boys suggested that the
old man had come back for his bag and hammock, and that they ought to be
thrown overboard to him; but all this was cut short by the appearance of
the commodore on the quarter-deck, and upon him all eyes were turned as he
stepped upon the port horseblock, where a good view could be had.

"Now, old Jess was as brave an old fellow as ever sailed a ship, but he
did not fancy ghosts, and the knowledge that all hands were looking at him
to see how he took it made him feel a little nervous; but with a firm
voice he called for his night-glass, and when the quartermaster, with a
touch of his hat, handed it to him, he quietly arranged the focus, and, as
we all supposed, was about to point it at Sadler, who was still dancing
away for dear life all to himself. But old Jess was too smart for that: he
quietly directed his glass to another quarter, to gain a little time, and,
gradually sweeping the horizon, brought it at last, with a tremor of
mortal dread, to bear dead upon the ghost. Bless my soul! how the old
gentleman shook! But recovering himself, with a big gulp in his throat he
turned to the chaplain and said, 'Did you read the _full_ service over him
to-day, Mr. T----?'

"'I did, sir, as well as I can remember,' replied Mr. T.

"'Then, sir,' said the commodore, turning to Mr. Bispham and speaking in
an authoritative tone, 'we must send a boat and bring him on board.'

"'O Lord! O Lord!--bring a ghost on board!' groaned the men.

"'Silence, fore and aft!' said Mr. Bispham, 'and call away the second
cutter.'

"'Away there, you second cutters, away!' sung out the boatswain's mate.
But they didn't 'away' one step, and we youngsters could hear the men
growling out, 'What does the commodore want with old Sadler? This isn't
his place: let the old man rip: he is dead and buried all right. We didn't
ship to go cruis