"Yes, it is a fine starlight night. The moon ought to be coming up soon, and then we can see things better."
"Yes, so we can. Was you looking for anything particular, sir?" in a mysterious tone.
"How about that vessel, Ben?" asked Jack in a low tone. "Are you sure you saw her? What was she, the long, low, rakish craft we read of in old stories or a saucy steam yacht with tremendous speed?"
"Sh! the old man might hear us," cautioned Ben Bowline. "Do you know I don't want to think it were the Flying Dutchman 'cause it's plumb bad luck to see her, but how is a live ship going to get in here?"
"Easy enough, if she knows the way, Ben. Don't say anything about it, but are you sure you saw something?"
"Well, I dunno, but I think I did. She was out yonder, just where you can see the open water, and she was only there half a jiffy, as you might say. Tom saw her, too, or I would have thought I was dreaming."
"Steamer, Ben?" asked Jack, sure now that there was something in the old fellow's story.
"Reckon she was, though I did see something white, which gave me a creepy feeling like as if I'd seen a apparition or something similar. Maybe she had sail on to help her steam. Some of 'em do."
"And you saw her for a short time only!"
"Yes, sir, not half a minute nor half that even. There wasn't time to say 'Jack Robinson' twice, sir, before she was out of sight."