Page:Silver Shoal Light.djvu/239

 think she hadn't any hull. It's mirage, isn't it?"

"No; 'tis a loom," the Cap'n replied. "Reg'lar miradge turns things upsydown an' shows 'em to ye whar they ain't. I 'member oncet when I was a young feller cruisin', I see a ship in the sky, wrong side up an' sailin' along. We was down in the Agulhas, an' there was one feller thought't was the Flyin' Dutchman sartin an' come near havin' a fit. But the miradge was so plain we made her out by her rig to be the ol' Britomart out o' Salem. An' tubbe sure, byme-by she come up over the horizon, an' 't was the Britomart, right enough."

"How weird!" Joan said.

Garth's eyes had taken on the distant look that always filled them when he heard tales of the sea.

"There's nothing in the world so wonderful as a ship, is there?" he said, dreamily.

The Captain thumped a horny fist on the gunwale.

"You're right, by Jawge!" he said. "Nawthin' in the world so wonderful—ner so handsome—ner—ner so much wuth while!"

"No," said Garth.

"Fer the matter o' thet," 'Bijah pursued, ex-