Katerina, accompanied with peals
of thunder and heavy rain, rendering it so thick that nothing could be
seen. In a quarter of an hour it cleared away, and, when they looked to
leeward the stranger was no longer in sight.

"Merciful Heaven! she must have been upset, and has gone down in the
squall," said Mynheer Barentz. "I thought as much, carrying such a
press of sail. There never was a ship that could carry more than the
Vrow Katerina. It was madness on the part of the captain of that
vessel; but I suppose he wished to keep up with us. Heh, Mynheer
Vanderdecken?"

Philip did not reply to these remarks, which fully proved the madness of
his captain. He felt that his ship was doomed, and when he thought of
the numbers on board who might be sacrificed, he shuddered. After a
pause, he said--

"Mynheer Barentz, this gale is likely to continue, and the best ship
that ever was built cannot, in my opinion, stand such weather. I should
advise that we bear up, and run back to Table Bay to refit. Depend upon
it, we shall find the whole fleet there before us."

"Never fear for the good ship, Vrow Katerina," replied the captain; "see
what weather she makes of it."

"Cursed bad," observed one of the seamen, for the seamen had gathered
near to Philip to hear what his advice might be. "If I had known that
she was such an old, crazy beast, I never would have trusted myself on
board. Mynheer Vanderdecken is right; we must back to Table Bay ere
worse befall us. That ship to leeward has given us warning--she is not
seen for nothing,--ask Mr Vanderdecken, captain; he knows that well,
for he _is_ a sailor."

This appeal to Philip made him start; it was, however, made without any
knowledge of Philip's interest in the Phantom Ship.

"I must say," replied Philip, "that, whenever I have fallen in with that
vessel, mischief has ever followed."

"Vessel! why, what was there in that vessel to frighten you? She
carried too much sail, and she has gone down."

"She never goes down," replied one of the seamen.

"No! no!" exclaimed many voices; "but we shall, if we do not run back."

"Pooh! nonsense! Mynheer Vanderdecken, what say you?"

"I have already stated my opinion," replied Philip, who was anxious, if
possible, to see the ship once more in port, "that the best thing we can
do, is to bear up for Table Bay."

"And, captain," continued the old seaman who had just spoken, "we are
all determined that it shall be so, whe