It was on the Friday night, that the Second Mate had the watch aloft
looking for the man up the main; and for the next five days little else
was talked about; though, with the exception of Williams, Tammy and
myself, no one seemed to think of treating the matter seriously. Perhaps
I should not exclude Quoin, who still persisted, on every occasion, that
there was a stowaway aboard. As for the Second Mate, I have very little
doubt _now_, but that he was beginning to realise there was something
deeper and less understandable than he had at first dreamed of. Yet, all
the same, I know he had to keep his guesses and half-formed opinions
pretty well to himself; for the Old Man and the First Mate chaffed him
unmercifully about his "bogy." This, I got from Tammy, who had heard
them both ragging him during the second dog-watch the following day.
There was another thing Tammy told me, that showed how the Second Mate
bothered about his inability to understand the mysterious appearance and
disappearance of the man he had seen go aloft. He had made Tammy give
him every detail he could remember about the figure we had seen by the
log-reel. What is more, the Second had not even affected to treat the
matter lightly, nor as a thing to be sneered at; but had listened
seriously, and asked a great many questions. It is very evident to me
that he was reaching out towards the only possible conclusion. Though,
goodness knows, it was one that was impossible and improbable enough.

It was on the Wednesday night, after the five days of talk I have
mentioned, that there came, to me and to those who _knew_, another
element of fear. And yet, I can quite understand that, at _that_ time,
those who had seen nothing, would find little to be afraid of, in all
that I am going to tell you. Still, even they were much puzzled and
astonished, and perhaps, after all, a little awed. There was so much in
the affair that was inexplicable, and yet again such a lot that was