voices. At last, one cried out,
`Keep a sharp look out forward, d'ye hear?' `Ay, ay, sir!' replied
another voice. `Ship on the starboard bow, sir.' `Very well; strike
the bell there forward.' And then we heard the bell toll. `It must be
a vessel,' said I to the mate. `Not of this world, sir,' replied he.
`Hark!' `A gun ready forward.' `Ay, ay, sir!' was now heard out of the
fog, which appeared to near us; `all ready, sir.' `Fire!' The report
of the gun sounded in our ears like thunder, and then--"

"Well, and then?" said the captain of the Batavia, breathless.

"And then?" replied the other captain, solemnly, "the fog and all
disappeared as if by magic, the whole horizon was clear and there was
nothing to be seen."

"Is it possible?"

"There are twenty men on deck to tell the story," replied the captain,
"and the old Catholic priest to boot, for he stood by me the whole time
I was on deck. The men said that some accident would happen and in the
morning watch, on sounding the well, we found four feet water. We took
to the pumps, but it gained upon us, and we went down, as I have told
you. The mate says that the vessel is well known--it is called the
Flying Dutchman."

Philip made no remarks at the time, but he was much pleased at what he
had heard. "If," thought he "the Phantom Ship of my poor father appears
to others as well as to me, and they are sufferers, my being on board
can make no difference. I do but take my chance of falling in with her,
and do not risk the lives of those who sail in the same vessel with me.
Now my mind is relieved, and I can prosecute my search with a quiet
conscience."

The next day Philip took an opportunity of making the acquaintance of
the Catholic priest, who spoke Dutch and other languages as well as he
did Portuguese. He was a venerable old man, apparently about sixty
years of age, with a white flowing beard, mild in his demeanour, and
very pleasing in his conversation.

When Philip kept his watch that night, the old man walked with him, and
it was then, after a long conversation, that Philip confided to him that
he was of the Catholic persuasion.

"Indeed, my son, that is unusual in a Hollander."

"It is so," replied Philip; "nor is it known on board--not that I am
ashamed of my religion, but I wish to avoid discussion."

"You are prudent, my son. Alas! if the reformed religion produces no
better fruit than what I have witnessed in the East, it is little b