side. They had seen
nothing of the brig; and we were all very much puzzled to know what had
become of her. The next morning we weighed, and stood out to sea.
Never was a brighter look-out kept for a prize than we kept for the
reappearance of the stranger; but to little purpose, beyond convincing
ourselves that there was no probability of her appearing. For two days
we cruised in the neighbourhood of the islands, clear of the reefs, and
at length once more stood on our course.

There was much discussion on board as to what the stranger was--where
she had come from--where she was going--and why, if she was honest, she
ran away from us. The general notion among the crew was that she was
something strange and supernatural.

"If not the _Flying Dutchman_, which could scarcely be the case seeing
the latitude we are in," said Dick Harper with oracular authority,
"she's near akin to the chap, that you may depend on, for no other would
have been for to go for to play us such a trick as he has been doing;
and for that matter, messmates, look ye here--he may be the Dutchman
himself; for if he can cruise about as they say he does, I don't see no
reason why he shouldn't take it into his head just to come down into
these parts to have a look at some of his kindred, instead of knocking
eternally off and about the Cape, which no longer belongs to them, d'ye
see. To my mind, it's just as well we had nothing to do with the
fellow; he'd have played us some scurvy trick, depend on't."

This most philosophical explanation seemed to satisfy the ship's
company; and as the officers had no better one to offer, except that the
stranger had got into the open sea again by some passage unknown to
them, they said nothing on the subject.

It served as a matter of discussion for a long time afterwards. We made
but little progress, for the wind was light, and often it fell almost
calm, while the weather became very hot and sultry.

One morning, when I came on deck, I found that we were lying becalmed.
The sea was as smooth as glass, but it could not be called level; for
ever and anon there came a slow rising swell, which made the little
craft rock from side to side, and the sails flap with a loud irregular
sound against the masts, as if they were angry at having nothing to do,
and wished to remind the wind to fulfil its duty. The sun shone out of
the sky, without a cloud to temper its heat, and its rays made one side
of the ocean shine like