No, sir," said the night-watchman, as he took a seat on a post at theend of the jetty, and stowed a huge piece of tobacco in his cheek. "No,man an' boy, I was at sea forty years afore I took on this job, but Ican't say as ever I saw a real, downright ghost."
This was disappointing, and I said so. Previous experience of the powerof Bill's vision had led me to expect something very different.
"Not but what I've known some queer things happen," said Bill, fixinghis eyes on the Surrey side, and going off into a kind of trance. "Queerthings."
I waited patiently; Bill's eyes, after resting for some time on Surrey,began to slowly cross the river, paused midway in reasonable hopes of acollision between a tug with its flotilla of barges and a penny steamer,and then came back to me.
"You heard that yarn old Cap'n Harris was telling the other day aboutthe skipper he knew having a warning one night to alter his course, an'doing so, picked up five live men and three dead skeletons in a openboat?" he inquired.
I nodded.
"The yarn in various forms is an old one," said I.
"It's all founded on something I told him once," said Bill. "I don'twish to accuse Cap'n Harris of taking another man's true story an'spoiling it; he's got a bad memory, that's all. Fust of all, he forgetshe ever heard the yarn; secondly, he goes and spoils it."
I gave a sympathetic murmur. Harris was as truthful an old man as everbreathed, but his tales were terribly restricted by this circumstance,whereas Bill's were limited by nothing but his own imagination.
"It was about fifteen years ago now," began Bill, getting the quid intoa bye-way of his cheek, where it would not impede his utterance "I wasA. B. on the Swallow, a barque, trading wherever we could pick up stuff.On this v'y'ge we was bound from London to Jamaica with a general cargo.
"The start of that v'y'ge was excellent. We was towed out of the St.Katherine's Docks here, to the Nore, an' the tug left us to a stiffbreeze, which fairly raced us down Channel and out into the Atlantic.Everybody was saying what a fine v'y'ge we was having, an' what quicktime we should make, an' the fust mate was in such a lovely temper thatyou might do anything with him a'most.
"We was about ten days out, an' still slipping along in this spankingway, when all of a sudden things changed. I was at the wheel with thesecond mate one night, when the skipper, whose name was Brown, came upfrom below in a uneasy sort o' fashion, and stood looking at us for sometime without speaking. Then at last he sort o' makes up his mind, andses he--
"'Mr. McMillan, I've just had a most remarkable experience, an' I don'tknow what to do about it.'
"'Yes, sir?' ses Mr. McMillan.
"'Three times I 've been woke up this night by something shouting in myear, "Steer nor'-nor'-west!"' ses the cap'n very solemnly, '"Steernor'-nor'-west!"' that's all it says. The first time I thought it wassomebody got into my cabin skylarking, and I laid for 'em with a stickbut I've heard it three times, an' there's nothing there.'
"'It's a supernatural warning,' ses the second mate, who had a greatuncle once who had the second sight, and was the most unpopular man ofhis family, because he always knew what to expect, and laid his plansaccording.
"'That's what I think,' ses the cap'n. 'There's some poor shipwreckedfellow creatures in distress."
"'It's a verra grave responsebeelity,' ses Mr. McMillan 'I should justca' up the fairst mate.'
"'Bill,' ses the cap'n, 'just go down below, and tell Mr. Salmon I 'dlike a few words with him partikler.'
"Well, I went down below, and called up the first mate, and as soon asI'd explained to him what he was wanted for, he went right off into afit of outrageous bad language, an' hit me. He came right up on deck inhis pants an' socks. A most disrespekful way to come to the cap'n, buthe was that hot and excited he didn't care what he did.
"'Mr. Salmon,' ses the cap'n gravely, 'I've just had a most solemnwarning, and I want to--'
"'I know,' says the mate gruffly.
"'What! have you heard it too?' ses the cap'n, in surprise. 'Threetimes?' "I heard it from him,' ses the mate, pointing to me. 'Nightmare,sir, nightmare.'
"'It was not nightmare, sir,' ses the cap'n, very huffy, 'an if I hearit again, I 'm going to alter this ship's course.'
"Well, the fust mate was in a hole. He wanted to call the skippersomething which he knew wasn't discipline. I knew what it was, an' Iknew if the mate didn't do something he'd be ill, he was that sort ofman, everything flew to his head. He walked away, and put his head overthe side for a bit, an' at last, when he came back, he was,comparatively speaking, calm.
"'You mustn't hear them words again, sir,' ses he; 'don't go to sleepagain to-night. Stay up, an' we'll have a hand o' cards, and in themorning you take a good stiff dose o' rhoobarb. Don't spoil one o' thebest trips we've ever had for the sake of a pennyworth of rhoobarb,' seshe, pleading-like.
"'Mr. Salmon,' ses the cap'n, very angry, 'I shall not fly in the faceo' Providence in any such way. I shall sleep as usual, an' as for yourrhoobarb,' ses the cap'n, working hisself up into a passion--'damme,sir, I'll--I'll dose the whole crew with it, from first mate tocabin-boy, if I have any impertinence.'
"Well, Mr. Salmon, who was getting very mad, stalks down below, followedby the cap'n, an' Mr. McMillan was that excited that he even startedtalking to me about it. Half-an-hour arterwards the cap'n comes runningup on deck again.
"'Mr. McMillan,' ses he excitedly, 'steer nor'-nor'-west until furtherorders. I've heard it again, an' this time it nearly split the drum ofmy ear.'
"The ship's course was altered, an' after the old man was satisfied hewent back to bed again, an' almost directly arter eight bells went, an'I was relieved. I wasn't on deck when the fust mate come up, but thosethat were said he took it very calm. He didn't say a word. He just satdown on the poop, and blew his cheeks out.
"As soon as ever it was daylight the skipper was on deck with hisglasses. He sent men up to the masthead to keep a good look-out, an' hewas dancing about like a cat on hot bricks all the morning.
"'How long are we to go on this course, sir?' asks Mr. Salmon, about teno'clock in the morning.
"'I've not made up my mind, sir,' ses the cap'n, very stately; but Icould see he was looking a trifle foolish.
"At twelve o'clock in the day, the fust mate got a cough, and every timehe coughed it seemed to act upon the skipper, and make him madder andmadder. Now that it was broad daylight, Mr. McMillan didn't seem to beso creepy as the night before, an' I could see the cap'n was onlywaiting for the slightest excuse to get into our proper course again.
"'That's a nasty, bad cough o' yours, Mr. Salmon,' ses he, eyeing themate very hard.
"'Yes, a nasty, irritating sort o' cough, sir,' ses the other; 'itworries me a great deal. It's this going up nor'ards what's sticking inmy throat,' ses he.
"The cap'n give a gulp, and walked off, but he comes back in a minute,and ses he--
"'Mr. Salmon, I should think it a great pity to lose a valuable officerlike yourself, even to do good to others. There's a hard ring about thatcough I don't like, an' if you really think it's going up this bitnorth, why, I don't mind putting the ship in her course again.'
"Well, the mate thanked him kindly, and he was just about to give theorders when one o' the men who was at the masthead suddenly shouts out--
"'Ahoy! Small boat on the port bow!'
"The cap'n started as if he'd been shot, and ran up the rigging with hisglasses. He came down again almost direckly, and his face was all in aglow with pleasure and excitement.
"'Mr. Salmon,' ses he, 'here's a small boat with a lug sail in themiddle o' the Atlantic, with one pore man lying in the bottom of her.What do you think o' my warning now?'
"The mate didn't say anything at first, but he took the glasses and hada look, an' when he came back anyone could see his opinion of theskipper had gone up miles and miles.
"'It's a wonderful thing, sir,' ses he, 'and one I'll remember all mylife. It's evident that you've been picked out as a instrument to dothis good work.'
"I'd never heard the fust mate talk like that afore, 'cept once when hefell overboard, when he was full, and stuck in the Thames mud. He saidit was Providence; though, as it was low water, according to thetide-table, I couldn't see what Providence had to do with it myself. Hewas as excited as anybody, and took the wheel himself, and put theship's head for the boat, and as she came closer, our boat was slungout, and me and the second mate and three other men dropped into her,an' pulled so as to meet the other.
"'Never mind the boat; we don't want to be bothered with her,' shoutsout the cap'n as we pulled away--'Save the man!'
"I'll say this for Mr. McMillan, he steered that boat beautifully, andwe ran alongside o' the other as clever as possible. Two of us shippedour oars, and gripped her tight, and then we saw that she was just anordinary boat, partly decked in, with the head and shoulders of a manshowing in the opening, fast asleep, and snoring like thunder.
"'Puir chap,' ses Mr. McMillan, standing up. 'Look how wasted he is.'
"He laid hold o' the man by the neck of his coat an' his belt, an',being a very powerful man, dragged him up and swung him into our boat,which was bobbing up and down, and grating against the side of theother. We let go then, an' the man we'd rescued opened his eyes as Mr.McMillan tumbled over one of the thwarts with him, and, letting off aroar like a bull, tried to jump back into his boat.
"'Hold him!' shouted the second mate. 'Hold him tight! He's mad, puirfeller.'
"By the way that man fought and yelled, we thought the mate was right,too. He was a short, stiff chap, hard as iron, and he bit and kicked andswore for all he was worth, until at last we tripped him up and tumbledhim into the bottom of the boat, and held him there with his headhanging back over a thwart.
"'It's all right, my puir feller,' ses the second mate; 'ye're in goodhands--ye're saved.'
"'Damme!' ses the man; 'what's your little game? Where's my boat--eh?Where's my boat?'
"He wriggled a bit, and got his head up, and, when he saw it bowlingalong two or three hundred yards away, his temper got the better of him,and he swore that if Mr. McMillan didn't row after it he'd knife him.
"'We can't bother about the boat,' ses the mate; 'we've had enoughbother to rescue you.'
"'Who the devil wanted you to rescue me?' bellowed the man. 'I'll makeyou pay for this, you miserable swabs. If there's any law in Amurrica,you shall have it!'
"By this time we had got to the ship, which had shortened sail, and thecap'n was standing by the side, looking down upon the stranger with abig, kind smile which nearly sent him crazy.
"'Welcome aboard, my pore feller,' ses he, holding out his hand as thechap got up the side.
"'Are you the author of this outrage?' ses the man fiercely. "'I don'tunderstand you,' ses the cap'n, very dignified, and drawing himself up.
"'Did you send your chaps to sneak me out o' my boat while I was havingforty winks?' roars the other. 'Damme! that's English, ain't it?'
"'Surely,' ses the cap'n, 'surely you didn't wish to be left to perishin that little craft. I had a supernatural warning to steer this courseon purpose to pick you up, and this is your gratitude.'
"'Look here!' ses the other. 'My name's Cap'n Naskett, and I'm doing arecord trip from New York to Liverpool in the smallest boat that hasever crossed the Atlantic, an' you go an' bust everything with yourcussed officiousness. If you think I'm going to be kidnapped just tofulfil your beastly warnings, you've made a mistake. I'll have the lawon you, that's what I'll do. Kidnapping's a punishable offence.'
"'What did you come here for, then?' ses the cap'n.
"'Come!' howls Cap'n Naskett. 'Come! A feller sneaks up alongside o' mewith a boat-load of street-sweepings dressed as sailors, and snaps me upwhile I'm asleep, and you ask me what I come for. Look here. You clap onall sail and catch that boat o' mine, and put me back, and I'll call itquits. If you don't, I'll bring a law-suit agin you, and make you thelaughing-stock of two continents into the bargain.'
"Well, to make the best of a bad bargain, the cap'n sailed after thecussed little boat, and Mr. Salmon, who thought more than enough timehad been lost already, fell foul o' Cap'n Naskett. They was both prettytalkers, and the way they went on was a education for every sailormanafloat. Every man aboard got as near as they durst to listen to them;but I must say Cap'n Naskett had the best of it. He was a sarkastik man,and pretended to think the ship was fitted out just to pick upshipwrecked people, an' he also pretended to think we was castaways whathad been saved by it. He said o' course anybody could see at a glance wewasn't sailormen, an' he supposed Mr. Salmon was a butcher what had beencarried out to sea while paddling at Margate to strengthen his ankles.He said a lot more of this sort of thing, and all this time we waschasing his miserable little boat, an' he was admiring the way shesailed, while the fust mate was answering his reflexshuns, an' I'm surethat not even our skipper was more pleased than Mr. Salmon when wecaught it at last, and shoved him back. He was ungrateful up to thelast, an', just before leaving the ship, actually went up to Cap'nBrown, and advised him to shut his eyes an' turn round three times andcatch what he could.
"I never saw the skipper so upset afore, but I heard him tell Mr.McMillan that night that if he ever went out of his way again after acraft, it would only be to run it down. Most people keep pretty quietabout supernatural things that happen to them, but he was about thequietest I ever heard of, an', what's more, he made everyone else keepquiet about it, too. Even when he had to steer nor'-nor'-west arter thatin the way o' business he didn't like it, an' he was about the mostcruelly disappointed man you ever saw when he heard afterwards thatCap'n Naskett got safe to Liverpool."
AFTER THE INQUEST