And after that I was quiet for a while,
listening to the run of conversation on the subject. Presently, my glance fell upon Williams, the man who had spoken to me
about "shadders." He was sitting in his bunk, smoking, and making no
effort to join in the talk. I went across to him. "What do you think of it, Williams?" I asked. "Do _you_ think the Second
Mate really saw anything?" He looked at me, with a sort of gloomy suspicion; but said nothing. I felt a trifle annoyed by his silence; but took care not to show it. After a few moments, I went on. "Do you know, Williams, I'm beginning to understand what you meant that
night, when you said there were too many shadows." "Wot yer mean?" he said, pulling his pipe from out of his mouth, and
fairly surprised into answering. "What I say, of course," I said. "There _are_ too many shadows." He sat up, and leant forward out from his bunk, extending his hand and
pipe. His eyes plainly showed his excitement. "'ave yer seen--" he hesitated, and looked at me, struggling inwardly to
express himself. "Well?" I prompted. For perhaps a minute he tried to say something. Then his expression
altered suddenly from doubt, and something else more indefinite, to a
pretty grim look of determination. He spoke. "I'm blimed," he said, "ef I don't tike er piy-diy out of 'er, shadders
or no shadders." I looked at him, with astonishment. "What's it got to do with your getting a pay-day out of her?" I asked. He nodded his head, with a sort of stolid resolution. "Look 'ere," he said. I waited. "Ther crowd cleared"; he indicated with his hand and pipe towards the
stern. "You mean in 'Frisco?" I said. "Yus," he replied; "'an withart er cent of ther piy. I styied." I comprehended him suddenly. "You think they saw," I hesitated; then I said "shadows?" He nodded; but said nothing. "And so they all bunked?" He nodded again, and began tapping out his pipe on the edge of his
bunk-board. "And the officers and the Skipper?" I asked. "Fresh uns," he said, and got out of his bunk; for eight bells was
striking. IV


_The Fooling with the Sail_


It was on the Friday night, that the Second Mate had the watch aloft
looking for the man up the main; and for the next five days little else
was talked about; though, with the exception of Williams, Tammy and
myself, no one seemed to think of treating the matter seriously. Perhaps
I should not exclude Quoin, who still persisted, on every occasion, that
there was a stowaway aboard. As for the Second Mate, I have very little
doubt _now_, but that he was beginning to realise there was something
deeper and less understandable than he had at first dreamed of. Yet, all
the same, I know he had to keep his guesses and half-formed opinions
pretty well to himself; for the Old Man and the First Mate chaffed him
unmercifully about his "bogy." This, I got from Tammy, who had heard
them both ragging him during the second dog-watch the following day. There was another thing Tammy told me, that showed how the Second Mate
bothered about his inability to understand the mysterious appearance and
disappearance of the man he had seen go aloft. He had made Tammy give
him every detail he could remember about the figure we had seen by the
log-reel. What is more, the Second had not even affected to treat the
matter lightly, nor as a thing to be sneered at; but had listened
seriously, and asked a great many questions. It is very evident to me
that he was reaching out towards the only possible conclusion. Though,
goodness knows, it was one that was impossible and improbable enough. It was on the Wednesday night, after the five days of talk I have
mentioned, that there came, to me and to those who _knew_, another
element of fear. And yet, I can quite understand that, at _that_ time,
those who had seen nothing, would find little to be afraid of, in all
that I am going to tell you. Still, even they were much puzzled and
astonished, and perhaps, after all, a little awed. There was so much in
the affair that was inexplicable, and yet again such a lot that was
natural and commonplace. For, when all is said and done, it was nothing
more than the blowing adrift of one of the sails; yet accompanied by
what were really significant details--significant, that is, in the light
of that which Tammy and I and the Second Mate knew. Seven bells, and then one, had gone in the first watch, and our side was
being roused out to relieve the Mate's. Most of the men were already out
of their bunks, and sitting about on their sea-chests, getting into
their togs. Suddenly, one of the 'prentices in the other watch, put his head in
through the doorway on the port side. "The Mate wants to know," he said, "which of you chaps made fast the
fore royal, last watch." "Wot's 'e want to know that for?" inquired one of the men. "The lee side's blowing adrift," said the 'prentice. "And he says that
the chap who made it fast is to go up and see to it as soon as the watch
is relieved." "Oh! does 'e? Well 'twasn't me, any'ow," replied the man. "You'd better
arsk sum of t'others." "Ask what?" inquired Plummer, getting out of his bunk, sleepily. The 'prentice repeated his message. The man yawned and stretched himself. "Let me see," he muttered, and scratched his head with one hand, while
he fumbled for his trousers with the other. "'oo made ther fore r'yal
fast?" He got into his trousers, and stood up. "Why, ther Or'nary, er
course; 'oo else do yer suppose?" "That's all I wanted to know!" said the 'prentice, and went away. "Hi! Tom!" Stubbins sung out to the Ordinary. "Wake up, you lazy young
devil. Ther Mate's just sent to hinquire who it was made the fore royal
fast. It's all blowin' adrift, and he says you're to get along up as
soon as eight bells goes, and make it fast again." Tom jumped out of his bunk, and began to dress, quickly. "Blowin' adrift!" he said. "There ain't all that much wind; and I tucked
the ends of the gaskets well in under the other turns." "P'raps one of ther gaskets is rotten, and given way," suggested
Stubbins. "Anyway, you'd better hurry up, it's just on eight bells." A minute later, eight bells went, and we trooped away aft for roll-call. As soon as the names were called over, I saw the Mate lean towards the
Second and say something. Then the Second Mate sung out:

"Tom!" "Sir!" answered Tom. "Was it you made fast that fore royal, last watch?" "Yes, Sir." "How's that it's broken adrift?" "Carn't say, Sir." "Well, it has, and you'd better jump aloft and shove the gasket round it
again. And mind you make a better job of it this time." "i, i, Sir," said Tom, and followed the rest of us forrard. Reaching the
fore rigging, he climbed into it, and began to make his way leisurely
aloft. I could see him with a fair amount of distinctness, as the moon
was very clear and bright, though getting old. I went over to the weather pin-rail, and leaned up against it, watching
him, while I filled my pipe.