us. She's illuminated, too. Have you seen her?"

"No," I answered, and turned in the direction he indicated. An
involuntary exclamation escaped me. There, about half a mile to our
rear, floated a schooner of exquisite proportions and fairy-like
grace, outlined from stem to stern by delicate borderings of
electric light as though decorated for some great festival, and
making quite a glittering spectacle in the darkness of the deepening
night. We could see active figures at work on deck--the sails were
dropped and quickly furled,--but the quivering radiance remained
running up every tapering mast and spar, so that the whole vessel
seemed drawn on the dusky air with pencil points of fire. I stood
up, gazing at the wonderful sight in silent amazement and
admiration, with the captain beside me, and it was he who first
spoke.

"I can't make her out,"--he said, perplexedly,--"We never heard a
sound except just when she dropped anchor, and that was almost
noiseless. How she came round the point yonder so suddenly is a
mystery! I was keeping a sharp look-out, too."

"Surely she's very large for a sailing vessel?" I queried.

"The largest I've ever seen,"--he replied--"But how did she sail?
That's what I want to know!"

He looked so puzzled that I laughed.

"Well, I suppose in the usual way,"--I said--"With sails."