"Very good, sir," and the man, with a tug at his forelock, hastened
away to spread the word.

But a search of every nook and cranny of the ship only added to the
mystery.

Neither the boys nor Ben were to be found.

Had ghosts indeed snatched them into aerial regions, as some of the
more superstitious men seemed inclined to believe they could not have
vanished more utterly.




CHAPTER VI.

A STRANGE COLLISION.


We must now turn back and ascertain what has become of our young
adventurers and their rugged old companion. We left them sitting on
the bow--or rather perched there in positions none too secure in case
of a sudden lurch of the ship.

"I smell land," had been Ben's sudden exclamation after one of the
prolonged silences which, as has been said, possessed them that night.

The boys laughed.