sh of lightning
in the north-west."

"Well, my sons, I can brave the elements as well as any man, and do my
best. I have cared little for gales or stress of weather; but I like
not such a warning as we have had tonight. My heart's as heavy as lead,
and that's the truth. Philip, send down for the bottle of schnapps, if
it is only to clear my brain a little."

Philip was glad of an opportunity to quit the poop; he wished to have a
few minutes to recover himself and collect his own thoughts. The
appearance of the Phantom Ship had been to him a dreadful shock; not
that he had not fully believed in its existence; but still, to have
beheld, to have been so near that vessel--that vessel in which his
father was fulfilling his awful doom--that vessel on board of which he
felt sure that his own destiny was to be worked out--had given a whirl
to his brain. When he had heard the sound of the boatswain's whistle on
board of her, eagerly had he stretched his earing to catch the order
given--and given, he was convinced, in his father's voice. Nor had his
eyes been less called to aid in his attempt to discover the features and
dress of those moving on her decks. As soon, then, as he had sent the
boy up to Mynheer Kloots Philip hastened to his cabin and buried his
face in the coverlid of his bed, and then he prayed--prayed until he had
recovered his usual energy and courage, and brought his mind to that
state of composure which could enable him to look forward calmly to
danger and difficulty, and feel prepared to meet it with the heroism of
a martyr.

Philip remained below not more than half an hour. On his return to the
deck, what a change had taken place! He had left the vessel floating
motionless on the still waters, with her lofty sails hanging down
listlessly from the yards. The moon then soared aloft in her beauty,
reflecting the masts and sails of the ship in extended lines upon the
smooth sea. Now all was dark: the water rippled short and broke in
foam; the smaller and lofty sails had been taken in, and the vessel was
cleaving through the water; and the wind, in fitful gusts and angry
moanings, proclaimed too surely that it had been awakened up to wrath,
and was gathering its strength for destruction. The men were still busy
reducing the sails, but they worked gloomily and discontentedly. What
Schriften, the pilot, had said to them, Philip knew not; but that they
avoided him and appeared to look upon him with fee