Philip shook his head—­“I remember seeing an old lady of that name buried some thirty years ago.”

“Impossible!  I left her young and blooming.  Here’s one for the house of Slutz & Co., to whom the ship belongs.”

“There’s no such house now,” replied Philip; “but I have heard, that many years ago there was a firm of that name.”

“Impossible! you must be laughing at me.  Here is a letter from our captain to his son”

“Give it me,” cried Philip, seizing the letter, he was about to break the seal, when Schriften snatched it out of his hand, and threw it over the lee gunnel.

“That’s a scurvy trick for an old shipmate,” observed the seaman.  Schriften made no reply, but catching up the other letters which Philip had laid down on the capstan, he hurled them after the first.

The strange seaman shed tears, and walked again to the side:—­“It is very hard—­very unkind,” observed he, as he descended; “the time may come when you may wish that your family should know your situation;” so saying, he disappeared:  in a few seconds was heard the sound of the oars, retreating from the ship.

“Holy St Antonio!” exclaimed the captain, “I am lost in wonder and fright.  Steward, bring me up the arrack.”

The steward ran down for the bottle; being as much alarmed as his captain, he helped himself before he brought it up to his commander.  “Now,” said the captain, after keeping his mouth for two minutes to the bottle, and draining it to the bottom, “what is to be done next?”

“I’ll tell you,” said Schriften, going up to him.  “That man there has a charm hung round his neck; take it from him and throw it overboard, and your ship will be saved; if not, it will be lost, with every soul on board.”

“Yes, yes, it’s all right depend upon it;” cried the sailors.

“Fools,” replied Philip, “do you believe that wretch?  Did you not hear the man who came on board recognise him, and call him shipmate?  He is the party whose presence on board will prove so unfortunate.”

“Yes, yes,” cried the sailors, “it’s all right, the man did call him shipmate.”

“I tell you it’s all wrong,” cried Schriften; “that is the man, let him give up the charm.”

“Yes, yes; let him give up the charm,” cried the sailors, and they rushed upon Philip.

Philip started back to where the captain stood.  “Mad-men, know ye what ye are about?  It is the holy cross that I wear round my neck.  Throw it overboard if you dare, and your souls are lost for ever;” and Philip took the relic from his bosom and showed it to the captain.

“No, no, men;” exclaimed the captain, who was now more settled in his nerves; “that won’t do—­the saints protect us.”

The seamen, however, became clamorous; one portion were for throwing Schriften overboard, the other for throwing Philip; at last, the point was decided by the captain, who directed the small skiff, hanging astern, to be lowered down, and ordered both Philip and Schriften to get into it.  The seamen approved of this arrangement, as it satisfied both parties.  Philip made no objection; Schriften screamed and fought, but he was tossed into the boat.  There he remained trembling in the stern sheets, while Philip, who had seized the sculls, pulled away from the vessel in the direction of the Phantom Ship.