"I am very sorry, Mynheer Von Stroom," said Kloots, "but the bear shall be sent out of the vessel."
"Yes, yes, Mynheer Kloots, but this is an affair for the most puissant Companythe lives of their servants are not to be sacrificed to the folly of a sea-captain. I have nearly been torn to pieces."
"The animal did not want you; all he wanted was the honey," replied Kloots. "He has got it, and I myself cannot take it from him. There is no altering the nature of an animal. Will you be pleased to walk down into my cabin until the beast can be secured? He shall not go loose again."
Mynheer Von Stroom, who considered his dignity at variance with his appearance, and who perhaps was aware that majesty deprived of its externals was only a jest, thought it advisable to accept the offer. After some trouble, with the assistance of the seamen, the bear was secured and dragged away from the cabin, much against his will, for he had still some honey to lick off the curls of the full-bottomed wigs. He was put into durance vile, having been caught in the flagrant act of burglary on the high seas. This new adventure was the topic of the day, for it was again a dead calm, and the ship lay motionless on the glassy wave.
"The sun looks red as he sinks," observed Hillebrant to the captain, who with Philip was standing on the poop; "we shall have wind before to-morrow, if I mistake not."
"I am of your opinion," replied Mynheer Kloots. "It is strange that we do not fall in with any of the vessels of the fleet. They must all have been driven down here."
"Perhaps they have kept a wider offing."
"It had been as well if we had done the same," said Kloots. "That was a narrow escape last night. There is such a thing as having too little as well as having too much wind."
A confused noise was heard among the seamen who were collected together, and looking in the direction of the vessel's quarter, "A ship! NoYes, it is!" was repeated more than once.
"They think they see a ship," said Schriften, coming on the poop. "He! he!"
"Where?"
"There in the gloom!" said the pilot, pointing to the darkest quarter in the horizon, for the sun had set.
The captain, Hillebrant, and Philip directed their eyes to the quarter pointed out, and thought they could perceive something like a vessel. Gradually the gloom seemed to clear away, and a lambent pale blaze to light up that part of the horizon. Not a breath of wind was on the waterthe sea was like a mirrormore and more distinct did the vessel appear, till her hull, masts and yards were clearly visible. They looked and rubbed their eyes to help their vision, for scarcely could they believe that which they did see. In the centre of the pale light, which extended about fifteen degrees above the horizon, there was indeed a large ship about three miles distant; but, although it was a perfect calm, she was to all appearance buffeting in a violent gale, plunging and lifting over a surface that was smooth as glass, now careening to her bearing, then recovering herself. Her topsails and mainsail were furled, and the yards pointed to the wind; she had no sail set, but a close-reefed fore-sail, a storm stay-sail, and trysail abaft. She made little way through the water, but apparently neared them fast, driven down by the force of the gale. Each minute she was plainer to the view. At last, she was seen to wear, and in so doing, before she was brought to the wind on the other tack, she was so close to them that they could distinguish the men on board: they could see the foaming water as it was hurled from her bows; hear the shrill whistle of the boatswain's pipes, the creaking of the ship's timbers, and the complaining of her masts; and then the gloom gradually rose, and in a few seconds she had totally disappeared.
"God in heaven!" exclaimed Mynheer Kloots.
Philip felt a hand upon his shoulder, and the cold darted through his whole frame. He turned round and met the one eye of Schriften, who screamed in his ear"PHILIP VANDERDECKENThat's the Flying Dutchman!"
Chapter X
The sudden gloom which had succeeded to the pale light had the effect of rendering every object still more indistinct to the astonished crew of the Ter Schilling. For a moment or more not a word was uttered by a soul on board. Some remained with their eyes still strained towards the point where the apparition had been seen, others turned away full of gloomy and foreboding thoughts. Hillebrant was the first who spoke: turning round to the eastern quarter, and observing a light on the horizon, he started, and seizing Philip by the arm, cried out, "What's that?"
"That is only the moon rising from the bank of clouds," replied Philip, mournfully.
"Well!" observed Mynheer Kloots, wiping his forehead, which was damp with perspiration, "I have been told of this before, but I have mocked at the narration."
Philip made no reply. Aware of the reality of the vision, and how deeply it interested him, he felt as if he were a guilty person.
The moon had now risen above the clouds, and was pouring her mild pale light over the slumbering ocean. With a simultaneous impulse, everyone directed his eyes to the spot where the strange vision had last been seen; and all was a dead, dead calm.
Since the apparition, the pilot, Schriften, had remained on the poop; he now gradually approached Mynheer Kloots, and looking round, said
"Mynheer Kloots, as pilot of this vessel, I tell you that you must prepare for very bad weather."
"Bad weather!" said Kloots, rousing himself from a deep reverie.
"Yes, bad weather, Mynheer Kloots. There never was a vessel which fell in withwhat we have just seen, but met with disaster soon afterwards. The very name of Vanderdecken is unluckyHe! he!"
Philip would have replied to the sarcasm, but he could not, his tongue was tied.
"What has the name of Vanderdecken to do with it?" observed Kloots.
"Have you not heard, then? The captain of that vessel we have just seen is a Mynheer Vanderdeckenhe is the Flying Dutchman!"
"How know you that, pilot?" inquired Hillebrant.
"I know that, and much more, if I chose to tell," replied Schriften; "but never mind, I have warned you of bad weather, as is my duty;" and, with these words, Schriften went down the poop-ladder.
"God in heaven! I never was so puzzled and so frightened in my life," observed Kloots. "I don't know what to think or say.What think you, Philip? was it not supernatural?"
"Yes," replied Philip, mournfully. "I have no doubt of it."
"I thought the days of miracles had passed," said the captain, "and that we were now left to our own exertions, and had no other warnings but those the appearance of the heavens gave us."
"And they warn us now," observed Hillebrant. "See how that bank of clouds has risen within these five minutesthe moon has escaped from it, but it will soon catch her againand see, there is a flash of lightning in the north-west."
"Well, my sons, I can brave the elements as well as any man, and do my best. I have cared little for gales or stress of weather; but I like not such a warning as we have had to-night. My heart's as heavy as lead, and that's the truth. Philip, send down for the bottle of schnapps, if it is only to clear my brain a little."