“Over the rail?”

“Oh—no, sir. It faded away.”

“Had you ever heard talk among the men of the Ella being a haunted ship?”

“Yes—but not until after I’d signed on her!”

“Was there some talk of this ‘white thing’?”

“Yes.”

“Before the murders?”

“No, sir; not till after. I guess I saw it first.”

“What did the men say about it?”

“They thought it scared Mr. Schwartz overboard. The Ella’s been unlucky as to crews. They call her a ‘devil ship.’”