"You bet he would, hevry time," said Stubbins. He lit his pipe, and
sucked at it, slowly.

"I don't hunderstand it, all ther same," he remarked, after a moment's
silence.

"Neither do I," I said. And after that I was quiet for a while,
listening to the run of conversation on the subject.

Presently, my glance fell upon Williams, the man who had spoken to me
about "shadders." He was sitting in his bunk, smoking, and making no
effort to join in the talk.

I went across to him.

"What do you think of it, Williams?" I asked. "Do _you_ think the Second
Mate really saw anything?"

He looked at me, with a sort of gloomy suspicion; but said nothing.

I felt a trifle annoyed by his silence; but took care not to show it.
After a few moments, I went on.

"Do you know, Williams, I'm beginning to understand what you meant that
night, when you said there were too many shadows."

"Wot yer mean?" he said, pulling his pipe from out of his mouth, and
fairly surprised into answering.