“Hello, Willy, what’s the matter?  Any one would think from the expression on your face that you had seen ’The Klabautermann’!”

“The Klabautermann” is a spirit of the sea similar to the brownies of the mountains and the goblins which play such a part in children’s stories.  Ordinarily unseen this spirit helps the sailors in their work when they are good and true, but when he appears with a fiery head and green teeth, attired in riding boots, yellow hose, and pointed hat,—­as the sailors assert they have seen him—­then look out.  Beware of misfortune.  Some awful fate awaits the ship, so the superstitious sailors solemnly swear.

“I have not seen ’The Klabautermann’,” answered Willy, “and I don’t believe there is any such spirit, although you are so positive about it; but I have something to tell you that will surprise you more than a visit from the Flying Dutchman’s haunted ship, that you told me about.”

“Well, let’s have the surprise.”

“Can any one play eavesdropper here?”

“No; no one at all.  We are here all by ourselves aft and who is there that would want to listen to us?”

“Redbeard and my uncle, but they are in the cabin, drinking and gambling as usual.  Last night, you know, Peppo had toothache all night and couldn’t sleep, so this afternoon I took his place in the kitchen while he went up to have a nap in his hammock.  He just came and told me that he had overheard Redbeard plotting some dreadful thing against us.  Peppo couldn’t understand it all, but he got this much, that at the island to which we are coming today, or at the latest tomorrow morning, he is going to send you ashore for drinking water.  He has let the water leak out of the casks.  ‘When Green goes ashore,’ he said, ’I haven’t a doubt in the world but that the young one, who stands in your way, will want to go with him, and the little Chinaman, whom I do not trust, will also want to go—­We can just send them, even if you don’t hanker after this plan.  And—­well—­if they don’t come back, why the wild Soloman Islanders will know what to do with them.’  Peppo heard the first officer say this.”

“Oh, the traitor!” said Green.  “And so he is going to furnish the cannibals with a nice juicy stew for their pots, is he?  And pray tell, what did that nice uncle of yours, the Captain, say to all this?”

“At first he would not listen to a word of it; then Redfox threatened him with something which Peppo could not understand, and at last he said, ’Oh, you are my bad angel.  I am in your power.  Do what you must, but I won’t have any part in it.’”