Hunting the Skipper Part 64

"Arn't no rooms there, sir," whispered the man, with rather an uneasy look in his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"It's just the s.h.i.+p's hold, sir, turned upside down like. Sort o' c.o.c.k loft of bamboo spars jyned together at the top--rafters, don't they call 'em, sir?"

"Yes, of course."

"That's right, then, sir, and they're all thatched and caulked with palm leaves."

"Not a bedroom at all, then, Tom."

"No, sir, but it's a sort o' sleeping accommodation all the same, 'cause there's a couple o' netting sort o' hammocks slung all ready; but I shouldn't like to have my quarters there," continued the man uneasily.

"Why not? It must be cool and pleasant."

"Cool, sir, but not kinder pleasant."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you see, sir, it's so plaguey dark."

"What of that? So's the sloop's hold."

"Yes, sir, but this here's so unked dark."

"Well, you don't mind the dark?"

"No, sir, I dunno as I do so long as I've got my messmates nigh at hand."

"Look here, Tom, I don't understand you," said Murray. "You're keeping something back. Why are you hesitating? You don't mind the dark."

"No, sir; it's the rustling sounds as I don't like."

"Pooh! Rats," said Murray.

"Nay, nay, sir. I knows what a rat can do in a s.h.i.+p's hold as well as any one who has been to sea. What I heered arn't no rats."

"Birds, then."

"Tchah, sir! That arn't no birds."

"What is it, May, since you seem to know?"

"Some'at oncanny, sir."

"_Uncanny_? What can it be uncanny?"

"I dunno, sir. Some'at as arn't real."

"What do you mean?"

"I dunno, sir, and I 'spects--"

"Suspect what? Why, Tom, you don't mean to tell me that a great strong sailor like you fancies that the place is haunted?"

"Oh no, sir, I don't go so far as to say that," said the man.

"Then what do you mean?"

"That's what I can't exackly tell you, sir. All I knows is that as soon as I got my head and shoulders well up among them bamboos there was a roosh as if half-a-dozen people was a-comin' at me, and then some one whispered something to the others, and they whispered back. It was jest for all the world, sir, as if some one said 'Hist! It ain't him,' and t'others whispered back and that settled 'em into going on talking together oneasy like; and then I come down."

"Without making out what it was, Tom," said Murray, laughing softly.

"Nay, sir; I seemed to know right enough; and it arn't nothing to laugh at."

"What is it, then, Tom?"

"Why, sir, I don't go for to say as it is, but it sounded to me like oneasy slaves as had met their ends aboard some o' they slaving craft, and couldn't rest."

"Tom May!" said the middy; and he would have burst out laughing, but for the thought that he might awaken the sick man in the room where he had lain down to rest. "Come out here."

"It's of no use to say anything to the lads outside," grumbled the big sailor, "for they think just the same as I do, sir."

"Why, you haven't spoken to them," said Murray.

"Not to-day, sir, but we often have talked about it, sir, and what might happen to them fellows as man the slaving schooners. Something must come to 'em some time or another after what they've done to the n.i.g.g.e.rs.

Stands to reason, sir, as they can't go on always as they do."

"I'm not going to argue about that at a time like this, but I do wonder at a big sensible fellow like you are, Tom--a sailor I always feel proud of--beginning to talk about ghosts and rooms being haunted, just like some silly superst.i.tious old woman."

Tom May drew himself up proudly and smiled at the first portion of his young officer's speech, but frowned at the latter and shook his head.

"Ah, it's all very well, sir, for a young gentleman like you to talk that how, and you and Mr Roberts, sir, has been at me before and laughed at me and my messmates; but, you see, we're a deal older than you are, and been at sea two or three times as long. We've seen bad storms, and all sorts o' wonders such as young people don't come across."

"No doubt, Tom," said Murray quietly; "but come along outside. I want to station my posts."

"Ay, ay, sir!" said the man, with a sigh of relief; but before he followed his officer he stepped on tiptoe to the opening leading up to the loft, and made an offer, so to speak, shrank back, then advanced again, and ended by sharply and shrinkingly closing the screen-like door and backing away with a sigh of relief.

"Feel better, Tom?" said the middy, with mock seriousness, as they stood out in the full light of day again.

"Ah, you're a-laughing at me, sir," said the big sailor, shaking his head. "I know, sir, though you're a-pretending to look as serious as a judge."

"Enough to make me look serious, Tom. But are you sure that any of the restless ones didn't slip down after you before you shut the door?"

"Eh? What, sir?" whispered the man hurriedly.

"You don't think as--" He looked behind and round about him, before continuing. "Why, of course I am, sir. You're a-making fun of a fellow, sir. But if you'd been up yonder and heered 'em--"