d almost as she
usually sailed. For a week the gale continued, and each day did her
situation become more alarming. Crowded with troops, encumbered with
heavy stores she groaned and laboured, while whole seas washed over her,
and the men could hardly stand at the pumps. Philip was active, and
exerted himself to the utmost, encouraging the worn-out men, securing
where aught had given way, and little interfered with by the captain,
who was himself no sailor.

"Well," observed the captain to Philip, as they held on by the
belaying-pins, "you'll acknowledge that she is a fine weatherly vessel
in a gale--is she not? Softly, my beauty, softly," continued he,
speaking to the vessel, as she plunged heavily into the waves, and every
timber groaned. "Softly, my dear, softly. How those poor devils in the
other ships must be knocking about now. Heh! Mynheer Vanderdecken, we
have the start of them this time: they must be a terrible long way down
to leeward. Don't you think so?"

"I really cannot pretend to say," replied Philip, smiling.

"Why, there's not one of them in sight. Yes! by Heavens, there is!
Look on our lee-beam. I see one now. Well, she must be a capital
sailer, at all events: look there, a point abaft the beam. Mercy on me!
how stiff she must be to carry such a press of canvass!"

Philip had already seen her. It was a large ship on a wind, and on the
same tack as they were. In a gale, in which no vessel could carry the
topsails, the Vrow Katerina being under close-reefed foresails and
staysails, the ship seen to leeward was standing under a press of sail--
topgallant-sail, royals, flying jib, and every stitch of canvass which
could be set in a light breeze. The waves were running mountains high,
bearing each minute the Vrow Katerina down to the gunwale: and the ship
seen appeared not to be affected by the tumultuous waters, but sailed
steadily and smoothly on an even keel. At once Philip knew it must be
the Phantom Ship, in which his father's doom was being fulfilled.

"Very odd, is it not?" observed Mynheer Barentz.

Philip felt such an oppression on his chest that he could not reply. As
he held on with one hand, he covered up his eyes with the other.

But the seamen had now seen the vessel, and the legend was too well
known. Many of the troops had climbed on deck when the report was
circulated, and all eyes were now fixed upon the supernatural vessel;
when a heavy squall burst over the Vrow