y this, I scrambled to my feet, and recognised Captain Snaggs'
voice coming down the companion way; but I did not fear his seeing me,
as the swinging lamp over the cuddy table had been put out, and all was
in darkness below, save when a sudden bright gleam from the moon, which
had risen since I had sought my bunk, shot down through the skylight as
the ship rolled over to port--making it all the darker again as she
listed to starboard, for her next roll the reverse way necessarily shut
out the moonlight again.

Captain Snaggs, I could hear, was not only very drunk, but, as usual, in
a very bad temper, as he stumbled about the foot of the companion way in
the water that washed about the cabin door.

"Durn thet fool of a Flinders--hic!" he exclaimed, steadying himself
before making a plunge towards his berth, which was on the left, as I
knew from the sound of his voice in the distance. "I t-t-t-old him them
ports would git stove in, an'--an'--order'd him to fix the deadlights;
but the durned fool ain't done nary a thing, an' there ye air,
streenger, thaar ye air!"

He then staggered a bit and flopped about the water; and then, all at
once, as I listened, he gave vent to a queer gurgling cry of horror,
that seemed to freeze my blood.

"Jerusalem!" he exclaimed, gasping as if choking for breath. "Thaar!
thaar!"

A gleam shone down from the moon at the moment through the skylight;
and, wonderful to relate, I saw the captain's outstretched hand pointing
to--

Something!

It was standing by the cabin door leading out on to the maindeck.

The Something was the figure of poor Sam Jedfoot, apparently all
dripping wet, as if he had just emerged from his grave in the sea.

His face, turned towards me, looked quite white in the moonlight, as it
became visible for a second and then instantaneously disappeared,
melting back again, into darkness as the moon withdrew her light,
obscured by the angle of the vessel's side, as the ship made another
roll in the contrary direction.

I was almost paralysed with fear, being too much frightened to utter a
sound; and there I remained spellbound, staring still towards the spot
where I had seen the apparition--half-sitting, half-standing on the
locker, having drawn up my feet, so as to be out of the rush of the
water as it washed to and fro on the floor.

As for Captain Snaggs, the sight of his victim seemed to affect him even
more--at least, so I fancied, from his frenzied cry; for