We ran to the starboard side, in a body, and looked over; but there was no sign of a light in the darkness astern.

“I carn’t say as I see any light,” said Quoin.

Plummer said nothing.

I looked up at the fo’cas’le head.  There, I could faintly distinguish the outlines of Jaskett.  He was standing by the starboard rail, with his hands up, shading his eyes, evidently staring towards the place where he had last seen the light.

“Where’s she got to, Jaskett?” I called out.

“I can’t say, mate,” he answered.  “It’s the most ’ellishly funny thing I’ve ever comed across.  She were there as plain as me ’att one minnit, an’ ther next she were gone—­clean gone.”

I turned to Plummer.

“What do you think about it, now?” I asked him.

“Well,” he said.  “I’ll admit I thought at first ‘twere somethin’ an’ nothin’.  I thought yer was mistaken; but it seems yer did see somethin’.”

Away aft, we heard the sound of steps, along the deck.

“Ther Second’s comin’ forrard for a hexplanation, Jaskett,” Stubbins sung out.  “You’d better go down an’ change yer breeks.”

The Second Mate passed us, and went up the starboard ladder.

“What’s up now, Jaskett?” he said quickly.  “Where is this light?  Neither the ’prentice nor I can see it!”

“Ther damn thing’s clean gone, Sir,” Jaskett replied.

“Gone!” the Second Mate said.  “Gone!  What do you mean?”

“She were there one minnit, Sir, as plain as me ‘att, an’ ther next, she’d gone.”

“That’s a damn silly yarn to tell me!” the Second replied.  “You don’t expect me to believe it, do you?”

“It’s Gospel trewth any’ow, Sir,” Jaskett answered.  “An’ Jessop seen it just ther same.”

He seemed to have added that last part as an afterthought.  Evidently, the old beggar had changed his opinion as to my need for sleep.

“You’re an old fool, Jaskett,” the Second said, sharply.  “And that idiot Jessop has been putting things into your silly old head.”

He paused, an instant.  Then he continued: 

“What the devil’s the matter with you all, that you’ve taken to this sort of game?  You know very well that you saw no light!  I sent Jessop off the look-out, and then you must go and start the same game.”

“We ’aven’t—­” Jaskett started to say; but the Second silenced him.

“Stow it!” he said, and turned and went down the ladder, passing us quickly, without a word.

“Doesn’t look to me, Stubbins,” I said, “as though the Second did believe we’ve seen the light.”

“I hain’t so sure,” he answered.  “He’s a puzzler.”

The rest of the watch passed away quietly; and at eight bells I made haste to turn-in, for I was tremendously tired.