The young man laughed joyously at this _repartee_, and his companion
joined him with a laugh that was low and musical.

"He seems very sure of his ground," she said to herself. "Well, we shall
see."

As they came to the end of the boat and passed behind the temporary
wheel-house erected there, filled with _debris_ of various sorts, blocks
and tackle and old steamer chairs, Morris noticed that two others were
there before them standing close together with arms upon the bulwarks.
They were standing very close together, so close in fact, that in the
darkness, it seemed like one person. But as Morris stumbled over some
chains, the dark, united shadow dissolved itself quickly into two
distinct separate shadows. A flagpole stood at the extreme end of the
ship, inclining backwards from the centre of the bulwarks, and leaning
over the troubled, luminous sea beneath. The two who had taken their
position first were on one side of the flag-pole and Morris and Miss
Earle on the other. Their coming had evidently broken the spell for the
others. After waiting for a few moments, the lady took the arm of the
gentleman and walked forward. "Now," said Morris, with a sigh, "we have
the phosphorescence to ourselves."

"It is very, very strange," remarked the lady in a low voice. "It seems
as if a person could see weird shapes arising in the air, as if in
torment."

The young man said nothing for a few moments. He cleared his throat
several times as if to speak, but still remained silent. Miss Earle
gazed down at the restless, luminous water. The throb, throb of the
great ship made the bulwarks on which their arms rested tremble and