tunity this day to introduce Dean Pitferge to Captain Corsican. My original very much amused the Captain by telling him the stories whispered about the "Great Eastern." He attempted to prove to him that it was a bewitched ship, to which fatal misfortune must happen. The yarn of the melted engineer greatly pleased the Captain, who, being a Scotchman, was a lover of the marvellous, but he could not repress an incredulous smile.
"I see," said Dr. Pitferge, "the Captain has not much faith in my stories."
"Much! that is saying a great deal," replied Corsican.
"Will you believe me, Captain, if I affirm that this ship is haunted at night?" asked the Doctor, in a serious tone.
"Haunted!" cried the Captain; "what next? Ghosts? and you believe in them?"
"I believe," replied Pitferge, "I believe what people who can be depended on have told me. Now, I know some of the officers on watch, and the sailors also, are quite unanimous on this point, that during the darkness of the night a shadow, a vague form, walks the ship. How it comes there they do not know, neither do they know how it disappears."
"By St. Dunstan!" exclaimed Captain Corsican, "we will watch it well together."
"To-night?" asked the Doctor.
