"Well, the phantom skipper looked at me a moment without sayin' a word, even so much as a civil 'How d'ye do?' He was the orfulest-lookin' cuss it was ever my fortin' to stumble across. His flippers were those of a skeleton, and his head was a reg'lar death's head, with eyes as burned like two coals of fire, while a pair o' cross bones was suspended across his bosom. I suppose they was some sort o' medals given the cuss on account o' meritorious conduct. At length the critter spoke to me, an' his voice was orful strange. You could hear it very distinctly, but it sort o' seemed to come from a long ways off, jist like the voice of a speerit. "'What's the name o' that 'ere ship what jist ran through us?' says he, in a melancholy way. "'Please yer Honor,' says I, respectfully touchin' my cap, 'it warn't a ship, but a schooner--the Jolly Admiral of New Bedford.' "'Ha, boy,' says he, 'dostest thou dare to banter me with thy jokes. Howsomdever, what's your name?' "'Bluefish,' says I. "'The son of old Sol Bluefish of Nantucket, the man as was hanged?' says he. "'The same,' says I. "'Ha! is it indeed so?' he ejaculated, leanin' his chin on his breast, in a meditatin' mood. 'He was a nice man,' he added; 'he was also a particular friend o' mine.' "'Allow me to take your flipper,' says I, puttin' on a free-and-easy air. 'It allers gives me a vast amount of pleasure to meet any one as was on good terms with the old man.' "With that, I grabbed him by the bony hand, but immediately let the thing drop like a piece of a thunderbolt, for it burned like a coal of fire. He contemplated me with an affectionate smile. "'Yes,' said he, 'I knowed the old man well. And how's your mother? Do you know,' says he, 'I came mighty near marryin' that gal once myself?' "'God forbid!' says I, with a unconscious shudder. "When I said these 'ere words, the skipper's knees trembled, and he almost fainted away. "'Young man,' says he, slowly recoverin' himself, 'be very careful how you utters the name o' that individual on this 'ere ship, or we'll all be knocked into the middle of kingdom come. Tell me,' says he, 'what was your object in boardin' this 'ere craft?' "'I was jist sort o' curious ter see about the state of yer health,' says I. 'And now, if its all the same to you, suppose you put me ashore.' "'Thou hastest thy wish, my son,' says he, in a kindly voice. And with that he taps me gently over the head with that 'ere trumpet of his, and I immediately sunk inter a deep state of non-sensibility. "When I woke, I found myself sleeping quietly in my hammock on board the Jolly Admiral, and when I tells my story, all on 'em laughs at me, and even denies that there was any Phantom Ship at all. "But, in course, that didn't make no difference to me, since it was all true." "It was a dream," suggested Tony Trybrace. "Certainly," said I. "Avast, yer lubbers! Doesn't I know as what I knows?" And with this conclusive argument, Bluefish "turned in."