d for the men's
coffee, and poking up the fire, which still smouldered, for I had banked
it, so as to keep it alight after I turned in. "Anything happened?"

"You were right, Cholly, in tellin' me not to holler till I was out of
the wood last night," he said solemnly. "I seed thet arterwards the
same as Hiram!"

"Saw what?"

"The nigger's ghost."

"Nonsense!" I cried, bursting out into a laugh, his face looked so
woe-begone, while his body seemed shrunk, giving him the most
dilapidated appearance. "You must have been taking some of the cap'en's
rum."

"None o' your imperence, master Cholly," said he, aiming a blow at my
head, which I dexterously avoided. "I never touches none o' the
skipper's ruin; I wouldn't taste the nasty stuff now, after all I've
seen it's done. No, I tell you straight, b'y, I ain't lying. I see Sam
Jedfoot last night as ever was, jest soon arter you went away from the
cuddy with the lantern."

"You did?"

"Yes, I'll take my davy on it. He comed right through the cabin, and
walked past my pantry, stepping over the deck jest as if he was alive;
and then I saw something like a flash o' light'ing, and when I looked
agen, being blinded at first, there he were a-floating in the air, going
out o' sight over the side."

"Did you go to see what had become of him?" I said jokingly, on hearing
this. "Where did he make for when he got over the side?"

"I didn't look no more," answered the steward, taking my inquiry in
earnest. "I were too frightened."

"What did you do, then?"

"I just stopped up there in my pantry all night, locking the door, so as
to prevent no one from getting in. Aye, I kep' two lights burning, to
scare the ghost if he should come again; and theer I stop't till
daylight, when I heard you stirring, and comed here to speak to you,
glad to see a human face agen, if only a beast of a b'y like you--far
them sperrits do make a chap feel quar all over! Besides, too, the fear
o' seeing the blamed thing agen, I thought the skipper, who was drinking
awful arter Jan Steenbock left, he and Flinders having a regular go in
at the rum, might have another fit o' the horrors, and bust out on me
with his revolver. Lor, I 'ave 'ad a night on it, I can tell you!"

"Poor fellow! wait and have a pan of coffee," said I sympathisingly,
pitying his condition and not minding his polite allusion to me as a
`beast of a boy,' which no doubt my manner provoked. "It will soon be
ready."