"

"Where?"

"There in the gloom!" said the pilot, pointing to the darkest quarter in
the horizon, for the sun had set.

The captain, Hillebrant, and Philip directed their eyes to the quarter
pointed out, and thought they could perceive something like a vessel.
Gradually the gloom seemed to clear away, and a lambent pale blaze to
light up that part of the horizon. Not a breath of wind was on the
water--the sea was like a mirror--more and more distinct did the vessel
appear, till her hull, masts, and yards were clearly visible. They
looked and rubbed their eyes to help their vision, for scarcely could
they believe that which they did see. In the centre of the pale light,
which extended about fifteen degrees above the horizon, there was indeed
a large ship about three miles distant; but although it was a perfect
calm, she was to all appearance buffeting in a violent gale, plunging
and lifting over a surface that was smooth as glass, now careening to
her bearing, then recovering herself. Her topsails and mainsail were
furled, and the yards pointed to the wind; she had no sail set, but a
close-reefed foresail, a storm staysail, and trysail abaft. She made
little way through the water, but apparently neared them fast, driven
down by the force of the gale. Each minute she was plainer to the view.
At last she was seen to wear, and in so doing, before she was brought
to the wind on the other tack, she was so close to them that they could
distinguish the men on board: they could see the foaming water as it was
hurled from her bows; hear the shrill whistle of the boatswain's pipes,
the creaking of the ship's timbers, and the complaining of her masts;
and then the gloom gradually rose, and in a few seconds she had totally
disappeared!

"God in heaven!" exclaimed Mynheer Kloots.

Philip felt a hand upon his shoulder, and the cold darted through his
whole frame. He turned round and met the one eye of Schriften, who
screamed in his ear--

"PHILIP VANDERDECKEN--that's the _Flying Dutchman_!"

CHAPTER TEN.

The sudden gloom which had succeeded to the pale light, had the effect
of rendering every object still more indistinct to the astonished crew
of the Ter Schilling. For a moment or more not a word was uttered by a
soul on board. Some remained with their eyes still strained towards the
point where the apparition had been seen, others turned away full of
gloomy and foreboding thoughts. Hillebrant was the first w