There he sat in his bunk, with a great pile of the most flashy police reports of the period on the stool beside him. “Come in, Mr. Gore,” said he. “I have just made a fine haul of papers. Found them in that quartermaster’s chest this morning. Take one; they are uncommonly interesting,” and he gave me one with an enormous woman in tights pictured on the cover. “Thanks,” I said. “Good night,” and I went to my room and turned in. CHAPTER IX. The weather continued fair, and in three weeks we crossed the line in about twenty degrees west longitude. We had seen but few vessels on the run down, but now sails were sighted almost daily. Some of these were heavily loaded clippers, bound round Cape Horn, that had kept well to the eastward, in order to pick up the southeast trade as far over as possible and keep from getting jammed to the northward of Cape St. Roque. As the northeast trade died out it left us entering the region of the doldrums, with its squalls and calms. We did well to carry the trade across the line, and then we drifted about for several days without making any southing to speak of. The southeast trade appeared to be well to the southward and the weather continued hot and calm. One damp, overcast morning, a large ship appeared on the northern horizon, standing almost directly after us. She drifted along all day without coming near enough for Captain Crojack to make out who she was, and toward evening she disappeared in a thick smudge of rain. After supper it cleared off, and the moon shone brightly over a sea of oily smoothness. The ship astern had drifted quite close during the rain squall, and now she suddenly appeared on the port quarter not half a mile distant. It was a pretty sight to see her there, with her canvas all glimmering in the moonlight, and all hands took a good look at her. She appeared innocent enough. By and by the skipper made her out to be an Englishman, and he sat aft looking at her for a long time. Mrs. Waters and her daughter came on deck and placed chairs, so they could sit and watch the stranger, for she was the only vessel that had come within hailing distance of us since we left port. It is a strange feeling of fellowship that comes over people who are abroad on the wide ocean when they find themselves in the vicinity of an unknown vessel. There is as much interest taken in a strange ship at sea as there would be in one carrying dear friends on soundings. While Captain Crojack and his passengers were gazing at the vessel astern the third mate came aft and seated himself close to Miss Waters. The young girl and he conversed in low tones, so I could not hear what was said; but as she appeared to lose all interest in the ship, it is barely possible that they were not discussing nautical matters. I can’t explain why this irritated me. It may have been the effect of the moonlight, for the tropic moon has a powerful effect upon people if they sleep with it shining in their faces.