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At last, on a night, as I crouched beside a gun on the 'tween-decks I espied of a sudden a shape, diloom, that flitted silently past me and up the ladder to the deck above Up started I, knife in hand, but in my haste I stu in pursuit, out intoforward ca at him with up lifted knife; but as I ca out a foot trippeda pistol under my nose "Lord love you, Martin, ould you now?"

"So you'll follow me, will you!" I panted "You'll creep and crawl and spy on me, will you?"

"Neither one nor t'other, Martin"

"'Twas you cliway but now!"

"Not I, Martin, not I" And as I scowled up at him I knew he spoke truth, and a new fear seized --no shape that flitted up the ladder hitherwards and no sound to it?"

"Never a thing, Martin, save yourself"

"Why then," says I, clasping my temples, "why then--I'm mad!"

"How so, comrade?"

"Because I'!"

"Aye, but how d'ye know?" he questioned, stooping to peer at ht I saw it I'm haunted, I tell you!"

"Who by, ship that flits i' the dark and with never a sound, that watches and listens It mounted the ladder yonder scarce a , Martin And not a soul stirring, save the watch forward, the steersman aft, and myself"

"Why then I'm verily ht but the solitude and darkness, they take many a man that way, so ha' done with 'eood, so 'list with me as master's mate, say but the word and--"

"No!" says I, fiercely "Come whatwhich I got me to my feet and presently back to the haunted dark

Thus the days dragged by all unmarked by me (that took no ave place to a heaviness, a growing inertia that gripped me, mind and body; thus when not lost in troubled sleep I would liedully at the dihtless on the dark