“Yes, dead as door nails. The only ones to rush up was a gang o’ the Skeleton Crew who had been below quietly murdering the men in their hammocks.” “Horrible!” “Astounding!” “But there’s worse to come,” said Ralph. The footman, with his pig-tail standing on end, made a move towards the door. The old housekeeper was almost fainting. Tim’s hair was like the quills of a porcupine as he listened with open mouth and distended eyes. “Well, as soon as they got possession of the ‘Dolphin’ these skeleton devils weighed anchor in a jiffey and made sail away. “They pitched the dead overboard, every mother’s son of the crew, mind ye; but, as well as I could, I bound up my leg tight to keep it from bleeding, and crawled into an old cask. “There I stayed for two days and two nights as quiet as a mouse a watching of these skeleton devils, and I heard and saw as much as would have killed any ordinary man.” “Learn any of their secrets, do you mean?” “Yes, sir.” “What were they?” “Why, I learned that they never would and never could be conquered by all the king’s navy, for every one on ’em, ships and all, had charmed lives; but, as far as I could understand, they all trembled when they heard the name of a boy who had been born to destroy ’em.” “A boy born to conquer and destroy that horrible band?” “Aye, just so, sir; for they admitted among themselves that he was charmed more than they were, and would be sent to scourge them from the sea.” “Wonderful!” “I wish _I_ were that boy,” said Ned, with a flushed cheek. “Do you?” said the cripple. “Yes, I do,” said Wildfire Ned, proudly. “I don’t believe in charms or spells, but I do believe if I had a good crew I should soon annihilate the whole of them.” “Perhaps you are boasting, young man?” “No, I’m not.” “Do you say, then, you could, and that you would, face the whole Skeleton Crew single-handed?” “Yes; and trust to heaven for strength to destroy them.” “You never have seen any of them yet?” “No; but I much desire to do so.” “Then behold!” said the one-legged sailor, stamping his foot on the floor, and pointing towards the window. In an instant a crash of glass was heard. Every one, save Ned, screamed aloud at the ghastly sight before them. There, with his head and half of his body visible at the window and protruding through it, stood a horrible form! It was one of the Skeleton Crew! In an instant Wildfire Ned pulled out a pistol and fired. The ghastly form moved not! He thought he heard the ball rattle among the bones of the Skeleton. He fired again. With a loud laugh of derision and triumph the Skeleton waved his plumed hat and vanished. When Ned turned towards the crippled sailor— He had disappeared! CHAPTER V. CONSTERNATION AT DARLINGTON HALL. The consternation that ensued among all assembled at this unlooked-for conclusion of the mariner’s tale was evidently great. The old knight jumped to his feet in amazement, and with trembling limbs.