“How often do they appear?” asked the boy.
“I haven’t heard of their being about before last night for several months,” answered the old merchant. “I was in hopes they’d never be seen here again.”
“What’s the matter with ’em?” asked Alex.
“Matter enough,” was the reply. “They bring disaster!”
“Alex restrained a burst of laughter with difficulty, but finally managed to face the old gentleman gravely.
“Bring disaster, do they?” he asked.
“Indeed they do!” was the reply. “Whenever the ghosts of the river dead walk on the surface of the water, it means trouble for all river dwellers.”
“Many years ago,” the old man continued, “the Mary Ann, as trim a passenger packet as ever sailed between Cincinnati and the Mississippi, blew her boilers all to flinders right opposite the mouth of Wolf Creek. There were two hundred passengers on board and they were dancing when the explosion took place.”
“The deck where they were amusing themselves was lighted by three blue lights! Ever since that night, the three blue lights have warned of impending calamity.”
“So you think they’re ghost lights, do you?” asked Alex.