The Ghost Ship | Page 6

older ghosts seemed inclined to
give the Captain's hospitality the go-by, the youngsters were neither to
hold nor to bind.
So one afternoon when I was taking my nap I heard a knock at the door,
and there was parson looking very serious, like a man with a job before
him that he didn't altogether relish. "I'm going down to talk to the
Captain about all this drunkenness in the village, and I want you to
come with me," he said straight out.
I can't say that I fancied the visit much, myself, and I tried to hint to
parson that as, after all, they were only a lot of ghosts it didn't very
much matter.
"Dead or alive, I'm responsible for the good conduct," he said, "and I'm
going to do my duty and put a stop to this continued disorder. And you

are coming with me John Simmons." So I went, parson being a
persuasive kind of man.
We went down to the ship, and as we approached her I could see the
Captain tasting the air on deck. When he saw parson he took off his hat
very politely and I can tell you that I was relieved to find that he had a
proper respect for the cloth. Parson acknowledged his salute and spoke
out stoutly enough. "Sir, I should be glad to have a word with you."
"Come on board, sir; come on board," said the Captain, and I could tell
by his voice that he knew why we were there. Parson and I climbed up
an uneasy kind of ladder, and the Captain took us into the great cabin at
the back of the ship, where the bay-window was. It was the most
wonderful place you ever saw in your life, all full of gold and silver
plate, swords with jewelled scabbards, carved oak chairs, and great
chests that look as though they were bursting with guineas. Even
parson was surprised, and he did not shake his head very hard when the
Captain took down some silver cups and poured us out a drink of rum. I
tasted mine, and I don't mind saying that it changed my view of things
entirely. There was nothing betwixt and between about that rum, and I
felt that it was ridiculous to blame the lads for drinking too much of
stuff like that. It seemed to fill my veins with honey and fire.
Parson put the case squarely to the Captain, but I didn't listen much to
what he said; I was busy sipping my drink and looking through the
window at the fishes swimming to and fro over landlord's turnips. Just
then it seemed the most natural thing in the world that they should be
there, though afterwards, of course, I could see that that proved it was a
ghost-ship.
But even then I thought it was queer when I saw a drowned sailor float
by in the thin air with his hair and beard all full of bubbles. It was the
first time I had seen anything quite like that at Fairfield.
All the time I was regarding the wonders of the deep parson was telling
Captain Roberts how there was no peace or rest in the village owing to
the curse of drunkenness, and what a bad example the youngsters were
setting to the older ghosts. The Captain listened very attentively, and
only put in a word now and then about boys being boys and young men
sowing their wild oats. But when parson had finished his speech he
filled up our silver cups and said to parson, with a flourish, "I should be
sorry to cause trouble anywhere where I have been made welcome, and

you will be glad to hear that I put to sea tomorrow night. And now you
must drink me a prosperous voyage." So we all stood up and drank the
toast with honour, and that noble rum was like hot oil in my veins.
After that Captain showed us some of the curiosities he had brought
back from foreign parts, and we were greatly amazed, though
afterwards I couldn't clearly remember what they were. And then I
found myself walking across the turnips with parson, and I was telling
him of the glories of the deep that I had seen through the window of the
ship. He turned on me severely. "If I were you, John Simmons," he said,
"I should go straight home to bed." He has a way of putting things that
wouldn't occur to an ordinary man, has parson, and I did as he told me.
Well, next day it came on to blow, and it blew harder and harder, till
about eight o'clock at night I heard a noise and looked out into the
garden. I