“Flying Dutchman,” thought Philip, “can that refer to—?” and Philip walked a step or two forward, so as to conceal himself behind the mainmast, hoping to obtain some information, should they continue the conversation. In this he was not disappointed.
“They say that to meet with him is worse than meeting with the devil,” observed another of the crew.
“Who ever saw him?” said another.
“He has been seen, that’s sartain, and just as sartain that ill luck follows the vessel that falls in with him.”
“And where is he to be fallen in with?”
“O! they say that’s not so sartain—but he cruises off the Cape.”
“I should like to know the whole long and short of the story,” said a third.
“I can only tell what I’ve heard. It’s a doomed vessel; they were pirates, and cut the captain’s throat, I believe.”
“No! no!” cried Schriften, “the captain is in her now—and a villain he was. They say that, like somebody else on board of us now, he left a very pretty wife, and that he was very fond of her.”
“How do they know that, pilot?”