he stayed below setting the smaller ghost a bad example in the
way of language, and threatening his fellows with all sorts of fearful
punishments.

Until dinner-time the skipper heard no more of them, but he had just
finished that meal and lit his pipe when he heard footsteps on the deck,
and the next moment old Ned, hot and angry, burst into the cabin.

"Bill's stole our dinner, sir," he panted unceremoniously.

"Who?" inquired the skipper coldly.

"Bill, sir, Bill Smith," replied Ned.

"_Who?_" inquired the skipper more coldly than before.

"The ghost o' Bill Smith," growled Ned, correcting himself savagely,
"has took our dinner away, an' him an' the ghost o' Tommy Brown is a
sitting down and boltin' of it as fast as they can bolt."

"Well, I don't see what I can do," said the skipper lazily. "What 'd you
let 'em for?"

"You know what Bill is, sir," said Ned. "I'm an old man, cook's no good,
and unless Simpson has a bit o' raw beef for his eyes, he won't be able
to see for a week."

"Rubbish!" said the skipper jocularly. "Don't tell me, three men all
afraid o' one ghost. I shan't interfere. Don't you know what to do?"

"No, sir," said Ned eagerly.

"Go up and read the Prayer-book to him, and he'll vanish in a cloud of
smoke," said the skipper.

Ned gazed at him for a moment speechlessly, and then going up on deck
leaned over the side and swore himself faint. The cook and Simpson came
up and listened respectfully, contenting themselves with an occasional
suggestion when the old man's memory momentarily failed him.

For the rest of the voyage the two culprits suffered all the
inconvenience peculiar to a loss of citizenship. The skipper blandly
ignored them, and on two or three occasions gave great offence by
attempting to walk through Bill as he stood on the deck. Speculation was
rife in the forecastle as to what would happen when they got ashore, and
it was not until Northsea was sighted that the skipper showed his
hand. Then he appeared on deck with their effects done up neatly in two
bundles, and pitched them on the hatches. The crew stood and eyed him
expectantly.

"Ned," said the skipper sharply.

"Sir," said the old man.

"As soon as we're made fast," said the other, "I want you to go ashore
for me and fetch an undertaker and a policeman. I can't quite make up my
mind which we want."

"Ay, ay, sir," murmured the old man.

The skipper turned away, and seizing the helm from the mate took his