ssels, for our safety from collision,
rather than run the risk of betraying our presence to an enemy by the
exhibition of lights. For the same reason he had given orders that the
ship's bell should on no account whatever be struck during the
continuance of the thick weather.

Somehow I could not help thinking that the skipper's precautions exposed
us to a great deal of danger. Supposing, for example, that some other
ship, practising the same "precautions," happened to be in our immediate
neighbourhood and approaching us on the opposite tack, what would be the
result? Why, in all probability the two craft would fall on board each
other, inflicting serious mutual damage, amounting perhaps to the
complete destruction of one or both. The idea made me very uneasy, so
much so, indeed, that, my imagination at length becoming excited, I was
on the point of giving an alarm at least a dozen times, thinking every
now and then that I could discern the dim outline of a strange ship
sweeping silently down upon us like a gigantic ghost. So strong,
indeed, did the illusion at length become, that I could have sworn I
caught a momentary glimpse of a light to windward, and, after hesitating
a few minutes, I became so convinced that I _had_ seen a light, that I
went up to Mr Sennitt and reported it.

"A light, Mr Chester. Where away?" said he rather anxiously.

"Here, sir," I replied; "broad on our starboard quarter."

He gazed steadfastly in the direction I had indicated for two or three
minutes, and then turned away, saying,--

"You did quite right, my lad, to speak to me, but I really think you
must have been mistaken. Why, if it had really been so, the stranger
must have been close aboard of us; it would be impossible to see an
ordinary light at a much greater distance than a hundred fathoms in such
a fog as this; why, it is thick enough to cut with a knife, the old
barkie can scarcely force her way through it."

As he finished speaking I seemed to catch another glimpse of the light,
just for a single instant, and I breathlessly exclaimed, "There it is
again, sir!"

"_I_ can see nothing," he returned somewhat impatiently, after taking
another long look. "Here, let us go round and examine the lookout men."

Every man was found broad awake and keenly watchful, yet none of them
had seen anything resembling a light, or indeed anything at all of a
nature to lead them to suppose that there was another ship in close
proximity