CHAPTER FORTY TWO.

Ours appeared to be a herculean task, for the fire had been burning many hours now, as after a little examination Mr Brymer decided that it would be best to attack it from the starboard side, where a bold man could approach the worst part and pour in water from buckets if the hose from the pump could not be brought to bear.

As I looked down into the blackened hold, surrounded by the jagged planks of the deck, which had been splintered and torn in the most wonderful way, the place looked to me like what I had always imagined a volcano to be. This was very small, of course; but there was the glowing centre, from which arose a column of smoke towering and curling up for some distance, and then spreading out like a tree.

The glow of the smouldering fire could be seen, but with the sun now shining brilliantly its appearance was anything but terrible, the greater light completely dimming the lesser; but as I stepped out on to the beam from which the planks had been torn by the explosion, I was made fully aware of the danger being great, for a peculiar dizziness suddenly seized me, and I was caught by the collar and dragged back to the strip of ragged deck on the starboard side.

"None o' them games, Mr Dale, sir," said a gruff voice in my ear, as I clung to the bulwark, and a cold perspiration gathered on my forehead.

"Anything the matter?" cried Mr Brymer.

"Not much, sir," growled the sailor; "on'y Mr Dale, here, trying to dive down into the hold to look for the fire."

"Why, Dale!" cried Mr Brymer, hurrying up from where he had been forward examining the hose left by the mutineers after their feeble attempt to extinguish the fire, "did the fumes attack you?"

"Yes," I said faintly, as I pressed my hands over my forehead; "I suppose it was that."

"Some'at queer burning below, sir," growled Bob Hampton.

"Or the gas from the combustion," said the mate, leading me a little more from the part where the smoke arose.

"Pretty nigh combusted him, sir, if I hadn't got hold on his arm."

"Well, it's a warning for us," said Mr Brymer. "Now then, come and pass this hose along."

I felt better now, and walked forward to where the pump was rigged, and helped to drag the hose along the narrow path beneath, the bulwarks to where Neb Dumlow was now stationed with the brass nozzle at the end of the canvas tube, and Mr Brymer instructed him how to direct the stream of water as soon as the pump was started.

"Better let me pump, sir," he grumbled. "I understands that a deal better."

"I set you to this, man, because of your wound. You are not fit to take your turn at the pump."

"Well, I like that, sir. It makes me mut'nous, it do. Why, you wants all the strength yonder to take spells in pumping," grumbled Dumlow; "wants men, don't yer, while this here's boy's work, or might be done by the gal. A baby could handle this squirt."

"If you can pump, for goodness' sake go forward, and don't talk now," cried Mr Brymer, impatiently. "Here, Dale, is that sickness gone off?"

"Oh, yes," I cried eagerly.

"Take the branch, then, and direct the stream. Right down, mind, where the glow rises. As he says, we want all our strength there, and you can serve us better here."

I seized the brass nozzle and held it ready.

"Be careful," cried Mr Brymer. "Keep back so that the fumes don't overcome you, and call out if you want help."

I nodded, and he hurried forward, while as I stood there in the hot sunshine waiting for the water to come, I directed the nozzle so as to strike one particular part of the smouldering ruins just beside where the great spiral of smoke rose up.

The next minute clink-clank came the strokes of the double-handled pump, invisible to me, for it was on the far side of the smoke which rose from the forward part of the deck. But no water came, and after a minute or two I heard them talking loudly, and the clanking ceased. Then came the splash of a bucket over the side, and though I could see nothing, I could picture the throwing down of that bucket, and the handing of it up with the sparkling of the water as it streamed back; and I knew what the gurgling and splashing meant, as the contents freshly drawn were poured into the top of the pump.

Then the clanking began again, and I waited listening to the steady working up and down of the handles, and the strange, gasping, sucking sounds which rose hollowly from the piston.

But still no water came, and I listened to the splash of the bucket as the process of filling the big barrel of the pump was repeated. Then clang-clank again, with gurgling, hissing, and splashing; and I felt that the pump must be broken or worn-out.

"They will have to take to the buckets," I said half-aloud; and in fancy I saw what a slow, laborious task that would be, and how hopeless it was to imagine that, short-handed as we were, we could cope with that terrible fire steadily eating its way down through the cargo, and which would certainly before long burst forth with uncontrollable fury.

"It's all over," I said to myself; and my heart sank once more as I began to think that we ought before long to get back to the boat, and trust to it alone, for although open and comparatively frail, it would not have a terrible enemy on board, insidiously waiting to destroy us.

"Oh, how disappointing!" I muttered, as I passed the metal nozzle from my right to my left hand, so as to wipe the perspiration from my face, when all at once there was a quick, throbbing sensation; something ran through my left hand. There was a splash, a hiss, and a cry, and Mr Preddle rushed back into the shelter of the main-mast, from behind which he had suddenly appeared.

"Oh, I say, Mr Dale," he shouted, "you shouldn't!"

The stream of water had come with a sudden rush, and struck him full in his smooth, plump, round face.

I tried to say, "I beg your pardon," but I was choking with laughter and could not speak. But I could act, for I rapidly changed the nozzle back to my right hand, and directed it down at the spot I had selected for my attack, and as the clear, bright jet of water struck the smouldering cargo the effect was startling.

That fire might almost have been some fierce, dragon-like monster, suddenly attacked by its most deadly foe, for in an instant there was a savage hiss, followed by a series of crackling explosions, sputtering, popping, and shrieking even. For the steam began to generate and rush up from the hold, instantaneously changing from its natural invisibility to dense white clouds of vapour, which rose and spread, and grew so thick that I could not see where to direct the jet of water, but had to trust to my ear for the spot to attack.

"Hurray! hurray!" came faintly from forward, where the pump clanked steadily; and I responded to the cheer, but my voice was stilled by the hissing and shrieking arising from the hold. But I cheered again, and kept on, feeling quite excited, and more and more as if I were attacking a den of dragons, or serpents, so strangely unusual were the noises which followed every fresh direction of the stream.

"I say, Dale, you shouldn't, you know," came from close by me, in a tone full of protest; and I quite started to see Mr Preddle's face looming out of the mist in which I was closely enveloped, and which grew more and more dense each minute.

"I didn't do it on purpose," I shouted.

"Oh, don't say that, Dale," he cried back, the voice sounding very peculiar through the hissing and shrieking of the steam. "I am quite ready to forgive you, my dear boy."

"But I didn't really," I yelled.

"Oh, Dale, don't—don't! Why, I saw you take aim at me with that thing across this dreadful gap."

"I—can't talk—now," I shouted. Then, contradicting myself,—"Going to help pump?"

"Yes; but what a fearful noise!—and you have made me so wet."

"How are you getting on?" shouted Mr Frewen. "That's right."

I could not see him for the steam; but his voice came from the other side of the deck, and I must have altered the direction of the jet a little, for a fresh series of explosions arose to prove how much more serious the hidden fire was than we could judge it to be from what was visible.

Crick, crack, sputter, and then report after report, as loud as those made by a revolver, while each steam-shot was followed by a ball of white vapour which came rushing up as from the mouth of a gun.

"Hurrah!" came from by the pump again, and Mr Preddle came slowly along to pass me and get forward.

"I suppose I can get by you," he said.

"No, no; don't try it," I cried excitedly. "I must not stir, and there is so little room. Go back and round with Mr Frewen."

"No, no; I daren't."

"The fire isn't there," I said, as the screaming and hissing were louder than ever.

"I'm not so much afraid of the fire as I am of the water," cried Mr Preddle. "You want to squirt me again."

I couldn't say "I don't," for his words tickled and yet annoyed me, so that I felt that I really did want to deluge him with the water from head to foot.

"Will you promise me not to squirt if I go that way?" he shouted.

"Honour—bright," I yelled. "Couldn't see you."

That was a fact, for from cut of the hold, and spreading all over the ship, the dense white fumes hid everything; and though Mr Preddle was now only about a yard away, I could not see anything but a dim, blurred patch; while facing me a dull, luminous disk all blurred and hidden from time to time showed where the sun was dealing his slanting beams.

"Well, I'm going to trust you," said Mr Preddle, "and I beg you will not do it again."

"All right," I shouted; and the next minute I felt that I was alone to carry on the war against the enemy below.

"How stupid of him to think that!" I said aloud, with a laugh.

"I don't see anything stupid. It was stupid of you to play tricks at such a time," said Mr Preddle.

"Why I thought you were gone," I shouted.

"No; I waited to see whether you were going to keep your word," he replied; and then I heard no more till Mr Brymer shouted—

"Want any help, Dale?"

"No, sir."

"Steam too much for you?"

"No, sir; all right. I'll call if I want help."

The pump clanked steadily on, and without any more than a half-stoppage as they made a change for resting, and I kept on searching out the hottest places by following up the loudest hissing and sputtering of the water as it changed into steam, and rose and floated upward till I thought that if the mutineers were able to see it, they would conclude that the ship was burning right away to the water's edge, for the steam, as it floated up in that huge volume, would have all the appearance of smoke.

Then I started, for from close behind me came Mr Brymer's voice—

"How are you getting on, my lad?"

"I don't know; I can't see."

"No, but I can. Capitally," he cried. "There must be a tremendous body of fire down below; far more than I thought."

"But is there any fear of our pumping too much down and sinking the ship after all?"

Mr Brymer burst into a cheery laugh.

"I don't think we should sink her by our pumping, Dale. We should get tired first, I'm afraid. Why, my good lad, I don't know whether my calculation is right, but I should say that half the water you send down there must float up again in steam."

"Think so, sir?" I shouted, altering the direction of the jet a little, and feeling startled at the consequences, for the shrieking and hissing which followed became deafening.

"I'm sure," shouted my companion. "Quite below in my calculation. You can keep on, can't you?"

"Oh yes," I said.

"That's right. I couldn't do it better. Go on; every drop's telling in extinguishing the fire, or wetting other parts of the cargo so that they will not burn. But what a fiery furnace it is! I had no idea it was so bad."

"Do you think—" I began.

"Yes—what?"

"That it has burned through to the ship's bottom?"

"No; and it will not now," he shouted. "There is so much heat there that an immense body of steam must be rising, and that will help to extinguish the fire."

"Then I am doing some good, sir?"

"Good? Yes; you are winning the fight. I must get back now, and relieve Mr Preddle. I left him and the doctor pumping."

I did not hear him go, but when I spoke again there was no answer, and I devoted all my energy to my task, though it had become so monotonous that my thoughts began to stray, and I found myself wondering how matters were going in the cabin—whether they were very much alarmed by the noise of the steam, or whether they felt as confident as the mate did about our ultimate mastery of the fire, and how Walters and Mr Denning were.

Just then a gruff, familiar voice came out of the steam behind me.

"Mr Brymer's orders, sir, as you're to hand me the nozzle, and go aft and get a refresher. Says you must be choked enough."

"Did he order me to go, Bob?" I said.

"That's it, sir. Give's hold."

I handed the nozzle.

"Talk about a fog," he cried; "this is a wunner. I say, Mr Dale."

"Yes."

"Sounds like something good being cooked, don't it? I s'pose there'll be a bit o' something to eat soon. I'm growing streaky, and could eat anything, from biscuit up to bull-beef. Well, what's the matter?" he cried, as a fiercer shrieking came along with clouds of vapour. "That go in the wrong place? Well, will that do?"

He shifted the direction of the nozzle, but the noise was as bad as ever.

"Well, you are hard to please, and you'll have to take it now as I like to give it you, so off you go, my lad."

"All right, Bob," I replied; "I'm going," and saturated with the moisture of my strange vapour-bath, I went along the narrow passage by the bulwarks, to find to my astonishment that I had walked out of a dense fog into the clear sunshine; and when I looked back, it was to see the white vapour towering up as if to reach the skies.



CHAPTER FORTY THREE.

I was faint and hungry, but I could not help standing there for a few minutes in the hot sunshine, which sent a pleasant glow through my damp clothes, and watching the wonderful great wreaths of steam rolling and circling up in the bright light, which made them look as if the pearly lining of sea-shells were there in a gaseous state in preparation before sinking in solution down into the sea.

Here the wreaths looked soft and pearly and grey, there they were flushed with a lovely pink which, as the steam-cloud curled over, became scarlet and orange and gold. In places where they opened as they ascended, the gold-rayed blue sky showed through, to give fresh effects of beauty, while high up, there at times were the upper parts of the masts standing out as if they belonged to some smaller ship sailing away through a thick sea-fog of an ocean far above the level where I stood.

I was gazing wonderingly at the beautiful effects produced by the bright sunshine upon the vapour, forgetting all about our danger for the moment in spite of the steady clank of the double pump, which came in regular pulsation above the hiss and roar of the steam, when my name was suddenly pronounced behind me, and turning sharply, I saw Miss Denning standing there, looking very pale, and with a scared expression in her eyes that was painful to see.

She had evidently just come to the companion-way and caught sight of me, and now held out her hands, with a smile coming into her troubled face.

"I am so glad," she cried. "You will tell me the truth. My brother has sent me to see. Are we in great danger?"

"Oh no, I think not," I cried, as I took her hands, and felt as if I had been neglecting a sister and a sick brother to gratify my desire to watch some coloured clouds.

"You are not deceiving me?" she cried. "Tell me, is not the danger very great? Come and tell John."

She hurried me in through the saloon to where her brother was back in his own cabin, lying upon his mattress, looking terribly weak and ill. His face brightened though as he saw me, and he too held out his hands.

"Ah, Dale," he said feebly, "I wanted to see you. It is so hard to lie here without being able to help, and I sent Lena to get news. Tell us the whole truth. Don't keep anything back."

I told him all I knew, meeting his great sunken eyes frankly enough, and he seemed relieved.

"Then there is hope?" he said at last.

"Certainly, I think so," I replied. "They are mastering the fire, and it cannot burst out afresh, for the cargo not burned will be drenched with water."

"But it may have worked its way through the ship's side," he said, with a shake of his head. Then, suddenly—"Look here, I want you, if I break down altogether, and my sister here is left alone, to take my place, and be as it were her brother. We have both liked you from the first day we met. Will you promise this?"

"I will when it becomes necessary," I said quietly; "but you are going to be better."

He shook his head, and Miss Denning gazed at me wildly.

"Oh, come," I cried, "don't look at the black side of things. It was enough to make you much worse, having to go through all that trouble; but we've got rid of the mutineers, gone through an explosion and a fire, and all sorts of other trouble. You'll soon feel better when we are all straight again."

"That's what I tell him," said Miss Denning eagerly, "but he only shakes his head at me."

"And he doesn't know so well as I do."

"Had your breakfast, Dale, my lad?" cried Mr Brymer cheerily. "Good-morning, Miss Denning. Well, Mr Denning, we're winning the battle."

"Then you will save the ship?" cried Mr Denning.

"Oh yes, I think so now," said Mr Brymer quietly. "Miss Denning, it is almost an insult to ask you, but if you could find time to help us a little!"

"Yes," she said eagerly. "What can I do?"

"I would not ask you, but we are all forced to go on pumping to extinguish the fire, and to a man we are getting exhausted."

"And you want food—breakfast?"

"That's it, my dear young lady; and if you could collect a few scraps together for us—"

"It is all ready in the cabin next to the captain's."

"Hah! I might have known," cried the mate, taking Miss Denning's hand to raise it to his lips. "God bless you for all you have done for us, Miss Denning. If my little wife at home could only know everything, she would be down on her knees praying for your safety. Look here, Mr Denning, don't you be down-hearted. I can read you like a book, better than the doctor. Half your complaint is worry about your sister here."

"Well," said Mr Denning with a faint smile, "suppose I grant that it is."

"Why, then, you would be honest, that's all. Now don't you fidget about her, for there are on board this ship six men—I was going to say and a boy, but I can't, for that boy counts as a man in the spirit to do all he can, so I shall say seven good men and true—who will do everything they can to protect as sweet a young English lady as ever stepped. There isn't one of us, from grim-looking Neb Dumlow or brown Bob Hampton up to the doctor, who wouldn't cheerfully give his life to save her from harm."

"Yes, yes," cried Mr Denning, with the weak tears in his eyes, "I know."

"And I too," said Miss Denning, in a choking voice, "though I do not know what I have done to deserve it."

"You don't?" cried Mr Brymer; "then I'll tell you, my dear. There, I say it, and mean it. You have behaved like a true, sweet English lady should, ever since you have been on board. Do you think, rough sailors as we are, we haven't seen your devotion to your brother? Do you think we haven't all loved you for your genuine patient English pluck all through troubles that would have made scores of fine madams faint. Here, I'm getting into a knot, instead of getting something to eat, and going back to my work. Mr Denning, don't you fidget, sir. We'll pull you through. And you, Miss Denning, if you'll go on seeing that the poor fellows have a morsel now and then, we'll bless you a little more. Come along, Dale, we must get back."

We hurried out, but I saw Miss Denning sink down on her knees sobbing by her brother's side; and, as he put his left arm round her neck, he waved his right hand to me.

"It's no use talking, Dale, my lad," said Mr Brymer huskily, "we must save the ship—we will. Now, then, let's get a handful of food a-piece and look in on the captain before we go back."

I followed him into the right cabin, where a freshly-opened tin of beef, some biscuits, and a can of fresh water stood ready on a white cloth, and we both began to eat ravenously.

"There's an angel for you, Dale," mumbled the mate, with his mouth full. "Right kind of angel too, who can open meat-tins for hungry men, and who knows that even now it's nicer off a white cloth. I don't wonder at the doctor."

"What about the doctor?" I said curiously, as I too ate as if I had not had anything for a month.

"Never you mind. Fill your fists and come along. Eat as we go."

We each covered a biscuit with meat and laid another on the top, to form the hardest sandwiches ever made by man, and then hurried into the next cabin, where Captain Berriman was lying on a mattress.

"Ah, Brymer! At last!" he cried. "Well?"

"Yes, it's well, skipper," said Mr Brymer. "I think we shall save the ship."

Captain Berriman's lips moved, as his eyes closed for a few moments.

"Can you eat this?" said the mate, offering his sandwich.

"Oh no. Miss Denning has been attending to me, bless her!"

"Amen, and a double blessing," said Mr Brymer. "There, keep a good heart, man, and pray for another day or two's calm. We'll do everything possible. Good-bye."

"I know you will, Brymer. Go on, then. You will all do your best."

He smiled at me then, and I followed the mate, who was hurrying along to the end of the saloon.

"Let's look at Walters first."

"No. You go; I can't, my lad. If I do I shall feel as if I must throw him overboard. He might have saved us from all this. Go and see him, and don't let him starve; though I suppose Mr Frewen's feeding him now on physic."

He hurried away, as I felt that in all probability Miss Denning had been there to see to the wretched lad; and so it proved, for on the locker close to his head was a glass of fresh water, and the white handkerchief bound round his head, still moist with eau-de-cologne, was evidently one of hers.

His eyes were closed as I entered, but after a minute he opened them and looked at me fixedly.

I could not help shuddering, and thinking how horribly bad he looked, but the repelling feeling gave way to pity directly, as I thought of how sharply he was being punished for all he had done—wounded, suffering severely in body, and far worse, I was sure, in mind.

I hesitated for a few moments, hardly knowing how to approach him, for mentally I felt farther from him than ever. We had never been friends, for I knew that he had never liked me, while now, as I gazed at him, and thought of all the sufferings he had caused, I felt that we ought to be enemies indeed. And so I behaved to him like the worst enemy I ever had, and as he gazed at me fixedly I went and laid my hand upon his forehead.

"You're precious hot and feverish," I said. "You had better have the door open too."

I propped the cabin-door wide, so that the air might pass through, and then added, gruffly enough—

"Shipbuilders are awful fools to make such little round windows," but, as I said it, I felt all the time that the little iron-framed circular window that could be screwed up, air and water-tight, had been the saving of many a ship in rough seas.

"Hadn't you better drink some water?" I said next, as I saw him pass his dry tongue over his parched lips.

"Please," he said feebly; and, as I took the glass of water, passed my arm under his head to hold him up and let him drink, I said to myself—

"You cowardly, treacherous brute!—the bullet ought to have killed you, or we should have let you drown."

"Hah!" he sighed, as, after sipping a little of the water and swallowing it painfully, he began taking long deep draughts with avidity, just as if the first drops had moistened his throat and made a way for the rest.

"Have another glass?" I said abruptly.

He bowed his head, and I let him down gently; though, as I thought of Miss Denning, her brother, and the burning ship, I felt that I ought to let him down with as hard a bump as I could.

I filled the glass again, and once more lifted him and let him drink, scowling at him all the time.

"There," I thought, as I laid him back again, "that's enough. You'll soon die, and I don't want to have the credit of killing you with kindness."

He looked at me piteously, and his lips moved, but I could not grasp what he said.

"Wound hurt?" I asked.

He bowed his head.

"Sure to," I said. "It'll be ever so much worse yet."

He bowed his head again.

"Look here," I said gruffly, "why don't you speak, and not wag your head like a mandarin in a tea-shop?"

He looked at me reproachfully, and his lips moved again.

"Is the ship still burning?" he said faintly, and evidently with a great effort.

"Yes, I s'pose so," I replied. "It wasn't out when I came away. Arn't you glad?"

"Glad?" he said with a groan.

"Oh, well, it was all your doing. Feel proud, don't you?"

His eyes gazed fully in mine, and their lock said plainly, "I'm weak, helpless, and in misery. I'm full of repentance too, now. Don't, don't, pray, cast my sins in my face."

But somehow my tongue seemed to be out of my control. I wanted to take pity on him, and to do all I could to make his position more bearable, but all the time I kept on attacking him with the sharpest and most bitter reproaches.

"You ought to be proud," I said. "You can lie there and think that through your blackguards the ship has been blown up, and is now burning, and would burn to the water's edge if we couldn't stop it. The captain looks as if he were dying; you are nearly killed; you've nearly killed poor Mr Denning, who came this voyage for the benefit of his health; you have had Miss Denning insulted and exposed to no end of dangers; poor old Neb Dumlow has a shot in him; and we've been treated more like dogs than anything else; while now your beautiful friends have turned upon you, and left you to be burned in the ship they have set on fire, for aught they care. Yes; you ought to be proud of your work."

He groaned, and I felt as if I should like to bite my tongue off, as I wondered how I could have said such bitter things.

"I say, don't faint," I cried, and leaned over him, and sprinkled his face with water, for his eyelids had drooped, and a terribly ghastly look came over his face. But even as I tried to bring him to, I felt as if I were only doing so to make him hear my reproaches once more.

He opened his eyes after a few moments, and looked up at me.

"Here," I said roughly; "I'd better fetch the doctor to you."

"What for?" he cried. "He will only try and save my life, when it would be better for me to die out of the way. I want to die. How can I face people at home again? No, no, don't fetch him. It's all over. There is no hope for me now."

"Can I help you, Walters?" said Miss Denning, suddenly appearing at the door-way; and as I looked at her bright gentle face, with my wretched messmate's words still ringing in my ears, I could not help thinking that there must be hope even for such a cowardly traitor as he had proved, when she was here ready to help him and forgive all the past.

"Yes, Miss Denning, I think you can," I said very clumsily, I know. "Walters knows what a brute he has been, and of course he is horribly sorry, and bad now, and keeps on speaking about there being no hope for him, and wanting to die. I can't talk to him, because I don't seem to be able to do anything but pitch into him—I mean with words—but you can."

"Poor fellow!" she said gently; and she laid her hand upon his hot brow; "he is very feverish, and in great pain."

"Yes, of course he is," I cried hurriedly; "but that's the way. I couldn't have said that. It would do any fellow good. And I say, Miss Denning, you tell him that I didn't mean all I said," I continued. "He's done wrong, and he's sorry for it, and I'm sure I'll forgive him if you will."

She smiled at us both so gently that the stupid weak tears came in my eyes.

"That means you will," I cried hurriedly. "Then I say, you speak to him, and make him feel that talking about dying's no good. He can't show how sorry he is if he does, can he?"

"Of course not."

"Then tell him he's to get well as soon as he can, and play the man now and help us to save the ship, and you, and all of us; and I say, I really must go and help now, and—oh, Miss Denning, don't sit down there; that's my sandwich."

I caught up the partly eaten biscuit and meat, and hurried out of the cabin to make my way forward.

"What a donkey I have made of myself!" I cried, mentally. "I thought I had said stupid enough things to poor old Walters, and now I've spoken such nonsense to her that she'll always look upon me as a regular booby. Yes, that she will."



CHAPTER FORTY FOUR.

I was so upset and worried about the way in which I had acted in the cabin, that for a time I forgot all about my sandwich; but, as I neared the steam, and heard the hissing and shrieking going on, I began nibbling the biscuit, and went on along the side of the broken deck close to the starboard gangway, and as soon as I was in the thick mist, I forgot all about the scene in the cabin, the clanking of the pump so steadily going on helping to drive it out of my head.

"Well, Bob," I said, "you haven't put it all out yet, then. Why, I could have finished long ago, if I'd stopped."

"No doubt, clever-shakes," said Mr Brymer. "Here, lay hold of the nozzle and do it then."

"Oh, I beg your pardon," I cried. "I thought it was Bob Hampton."

"I know you did," he said, as I took a step or two forward to where I could dimly see the mate manipulating the copper tube, and directing the water here and there. "Catch hold: I'll go and pump, and send some one to have some food."

I took the nozzle and went on with the task, Mr Brymer hurrying forward to the pump, while I was astonished to find how little impression had been made upon the fire. Tons of water must have been poured into the hold, but wherever I directed the stream, there was the sputtering, hissing, and shrieking, and I began to ask myself whether it would be possible to master the great body of fire after all.

A strange, nervous feeling came over me now, and I began to suppose— and, oh, what nonsense one can suppose when that tap is turned on, and allowed to run!—I imagined danger after danger. I saw the fire gradually eating its way to chests of horrible explosives—chemicals of whose existence we were not aware—and as, with feverish haste, I directed the heavy streams of water down into that thick mist of vapour, I kept on fancying that the sharp reports of steam were the precursors of another terrible explosion, of which, from my position, I should be the first victim. And as I thought these horrors, I poured the water here, there, everywhere, so as to make sure that I did not miss the dangerous place, though, even as I directed the jet, I felt as nervous as ever. For I told myself that the explosive might be so tightly packed to make it waterproof that all I sent down was only for it to run off again, and that I might spare my pains.

Just as I was in one of my most nervous fits, there was a momentary cessation of the pumping, and instead of hissing and spurting violently from the nozzle, the water ceased for a moment or two and then shot out in a couple of feeble spurts.

"It's all over," I thought; "the pump has broken down."

But the thought had hardly crossed my mind when the jet came as strong as ever, and I knew that they must have been changing hands, proof of this being the correct idea coming directly after out of the dense mist. For a well-known voice exclaimed—

"Hold on tight, Mr Dale, sir; we're coming by this side, so as to speak you."

"Who's with you, Bob?" I cried.

"T'other two, sir; Barney and Neb. There's Mr Trout-and-Salmon Preddle at one handle, and the doctor at t'other, with Mr Brymer to relieve while we're off dooty to go and 'vestigate the wittling department. That's so, eh, lads?"

"Ay, ay," growled Dumlow.

"That's so," said Barney; "and then I'm to take my turn at the squirting, if so be as you can't put it out."

"No fear of that, Barney," I cried. "It seems as if it won't be put out."

"Oh, it'll have to, sir, 'fore we've done with it."

"How is your wound, Dumlow?" I said, loudly. "Hurt you much?"

"Don't shout, Mr Dale, sir. I'm a-goin' out to braxfass with a lady, and I don't want her to hear as I've had a hole punched in me, or she'll be thinking about it all the time."

"But does it hurt you much?" I asked.

"Tidy, sir. Sometimes it's better; sometimes it's worse. 'Tarn't a nat'ral way o' taking blue pill, and consekently it don't agree with you. But don't you worry about that, nor me neither: I arn't killed yet."

As Dumlow spoke, the others got carefully by me, and passed on out of sight. Then it came to his turn.

"Stand fast, sir," he said. "I don't want to shove you down into that hole. Looks just like my old mother's washus used to on heavy days. She was a laundress out at Starch Green, she was, and—hff!"

"What's the matter?" I said, for the man uttered a peculiar sound.

"Just a bit of a nip from that there bullet, that's all, sir. That's better now I'm by. 'Tis a bit steamy, though, eh?"

"Horrible," I said; "but I say, do let Mr Frewen see to your wound. It isn't right to leave it."

"Course it ain't; but I put it to you, as a young gent who's got a head of his own, and got it screwed on right, as you've showed us more'n once; can I go and get a bite and sup, and can the doctor see to my leg and go on pumping, and all at the same time?"

"Of course not, but as soon as you've had some breakfast, do have it done."

"All right, sir, all right; and thankye heartily for what you say. Why, dear lad, you make as much fuss over me, and my damaged post, as if it was your uncle, or your father, or somebody else. It's very good of you, Mr Dale, sir."

"Are you stopping to hargy anything, Neb, old man?" cried Barney, who had returned.

"No, mate, I arn't."

"Well, then, come on. Yer can't 'spect the young lady to stand all day a-holding the coffee-pot up in the air, while you're a-talking out all the breath in your chest. Do send him on, sir."

"All right; coming," growled Dumlow, and he went on, leaving me to fight with the fire, listening to the hissing and sputtering of the steam, fire, and water, and to the steady clang-clank of the pump.

It was strange how shut in I seemed, and how lonely, in the midst of that white vapour; but it did not seem very long before the men returned to pass by on the other side, and after I had waited for the slight cessation of the water which followed, telling me that there was a fresh change being made at the pumps, I soon heard voices, and Mr Frewen came up to me to pass to the cabin.

"Going to have some breakfast?" I shouted. "Isn't it Mr Preddle's turn too?"

"Yes," he squeaked, from over the other side; "I'm going too, but it's very hard work passing along here. Dale, my dear boy."

"Yes, Mr Preddle."

"I've had a look in at my place forward, and quite half the fish are dead."

"I'm very sorry," I shouted; and then in a lower voice to Mr Frewen—"Do have a look at poor Walters, sir," I said; "he's very bad."

"Yes, he's very bad, Dale, mentally as well as bodily, I hope."

"Oh yes, sir; he's horribly sorry now."

"Sorry?—Hah!"

I felt that I was not evoking much sympathy for my messmate, and I changed my attack.

"Dumlow's in a lot of pain too, sir," I said. "I should be so glad if you'd see to him."

"Poor fellow! Yes, I know his wound's worse than he'll own to. He shall have it dressed as soon as I get back. I wanted to do it before, but he was as obstinate as a mule."

"Coming, Mr Frewen?" came from aft; and the doctor went on, leaving me once more alone, to go on searching out hot places with that jet of water till he returned and stood by me.

"Why, Dale," he said, "you are winning."

"Oh no, sir; it's as bad as ever," I cried.

"Nonsense, my lad; not half. The mist is not so dense overhead, and the hissing and shrieking of the steam is nothing like so loud. We can talk to one another without shouting."

"I say," squeaked Mr Preddle from the other side, "it isn't so thick, is it?"

"No," cried the doctor; and just then Mr Brymer came near, and, to my surprise, I could see him dimly on the other side of the gap in the deck.

"Three cheers!" he shouted; "the day's our own. In an hour or two we shall be able to cry hold hard!"

Those three cheers were given—cheers as full of thankfulness as they were of joy at our prospect of final success. Mr Brymer came round to me, and laid his hand upon my shoulder.

"Let Blane take the branch now," he said. "Why, Dale, my lad, you couldn't have stood to your water-gun better if you had been a man."

And I felt a burning flash of pride in my cheeks, and that it was time to leave off, for my arms ached so that I could hardly direct the branch.



CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.

So much water had been pumped into the hold, that it was now doing the work steadily by soaking in all directions, and making packing-case and bale so saturated that the fire was languishing for want of food.

For my part I fully expected that if we poured in much more the ship would become unsafe; and when I descended into the forecastle and cable-tier in turn, I thought the water would be a couple of feet deep on the floor. But there was no sign of a drop. Saturation had taken up an enormous quantity, but more had gone off into the air turned into steam; and when I went down with Mr Brymer to sound the well, I was astonished to find how small the amount of water was in the ship.

"No fear of our sinking, Dale," said the mate; and he went on deck again to look at the tremendous clouds of steam rising from the hold.

Before evening the pumping had been allowed to slacken; and as wherever the jet was directed now, the hissing had ceased, it was decided to give up and rest, though everything was laid ready for continuing the fight should it become necessary.

Every one was fagged, but there was so much to do that we could not afford to show it, and we set to work to try and place matters so that we could go steadily on as far as was possible in the regular routine of the ship—no easy matter, seeing that we were so short-handed.

But the cabin arrangements were put straight, and Miss Denning and Mr Preddle did all they could to provide a comfortable late dinner, which, if not hot, was plentiful.

Then Mr Frewen did all he could for his patients, and Neb Dumlow was bandaged and ordered to rest. He said he could not, for there was so much to do. It was not, he said, as if he could have been set to steer, for the ship still lay motionless, merely drifting with the current.

"I can do nothing, sir," he growled morosely.

"Look here, my lad," said Mr Frewen, "I have no objection if you wish to provide me with a bit of practice—go on, and I will do my best."

"Whatcher mean, sir, with yer bit o' practice?—pouring of physic into me as if I was a cask?"

"No; I meant taking off your leg."

"Taking off my leg!" cried Dumlow, with so comical a look of disgust on his countenance that I was obliged to laugh; "whatcher want to take off my leg for? Can't you stop the holes up?"

"I don't want to take off your leg, my man, and I can stop up the holes as you call it; but you persist in using it, and if you do, the consequences will possibly be that the wounds will mortify, and the leg get into such a state that I shall have to amputate it to save your life."

"Hear this, Mr Dale!" growled Dumlow.

I nodded.

"That won't do for me. Timber-toes goes with the Ryle Navy and pensions. They won't do in the marchant sarvice. All right, doctor; I'm game to do just as you tell me, only let me get about a bit. Couldn't you put my leg in a sling?"

"Your leg isn't your arm, Neb," I cried, laughing.

"Well, sir, who said it were? I knows the diffrens 'tween a fore and a hind flipper."

"There, that will do, my man," said the doctor. "Your wound is not a bad one, but in this hot climate it would soon be if neglected."

The doctor walked away, and the sailor chuckled.

"It's all right, Mr Dale, I won't do what the doctor don't want. Ketch me getting rid of a leg like a lobster does his claw. But I say, sir; I did think, you know, just then, as I might have a hankychy round my neck and hang my leg in it."

I was called aft soon after, and I saw Dumlow go forward, disappearing amongst the steam, while I went to Mr Frewen and helped him while he dressed Walters' wound, and was with him afterwards when he went to the captain and Mr Denning, both of whom were certainly easier now.

We had a light in the saloon too, for I had managed to trim the lamp, and Mr Brymer had been busy hunting out ammunition for the guns. This he had found in the forecastle lying in one of the upper bunks, and with it a couple of revolvers, so that once more we were fairly armed. Then it was decided that the boat should be hooked on to the falls, and an attempt made to raise her, but Bob Hampton shook his head.

"Don't think we can manage her, sir, to-night. To-morrow perhaps I might rig up tackle, and we could get her on deck. She's too big for them davits. But why not let her hang on behind, as the weather's fine?"

"And suppose those scoundrels return, sir, what then?" cried Mr Brymer.

Bob Hampton scratched his head.

"Ah, you may well say what then, sir," he grumbled. "I hadn't thought o' that. Don't think they will come, do you?"

"It is possible. They left in a scare, but if they see the ship still floating they may come back."

"Then we'd better get a couple o' pigs o' ballast ready to heave over, and knock holes in the bottom in case they do come, for we can't get her hysted to-night."

"I suppose you are right," said Mr Brymer in a dissatisfied tone; and, giving the orders, Hampton and Barney Blane went off to get the two big pieces of cast-iron and place them ready for the emergency, though it was fervently hoped that that need might not occur.

Then as the night was clear, and we were so short-handed, it was settled that one man only should take the watch, and every one volunteered, though we were all so exhausted that we could hardly stand. But Mr Brymer settled that.

"I will take the first watch myself," he said. "All of you go and get some rest so as to relieve me."

This consultation was held just outside the saloon, and Mr Frewen had just spoken and told Mr Brymer that he ought to have some one to share the watch with him, when a white figure suddenly came up out of the semi-darkness of the cabin, and I gave quite a start.

"You, Miss Denning?" I said.

"Yes. Mr Brymer, our cabin-door is open, and my brother and I have heard every word."

"Well, my dear young lady," said the mate pleasantly, "I wish you had heard better news."

"It was the best you could give us," she said quietly. "But my brother sends me to say that he has had a long sleep, and that if he is helped to a chair on the upper deck with a night-glass, he could keep the watch himself, and easily give the alarm if it were necessary."

"But he is not fit to leave alone, Miss Denning," said the doctor quickly.

"He would not be alone, Mr Frewen," she replied gently. "I should share his watch."

"And do you think, my dear child," cried Mr Brymer, "that we big strong men are going to lie down to sleep, and let you watch for us?"

"Why not?" she said quietly. "You have all risked your lives to save us. It is the least we can do."

"Yes," came in Mr Denning's sharp voice; "we shall keep this watch together, I am strong enough for that. Nothing shall approach the ship, Mr Brymer, without your having warning."

"He is quite right, Brymer," said a fresh debater in a faint voice, as no less a person than the captain joined in the discussion. "You are all worn-out. We sick folk have sharp ears, and will keep them well opened."

"I—I really hardly know what to say," said Mr Brymer.

I did, for I suddenly started from the spot where I stood, after sniffing suspiciously two or three times, shouting—"Fire!—fire!" For the enemy had evidently been at work insidiously, and had burst its water-chains, and leaped up to attack us again.

We all made a rush for the pump and hose, for the smell of burning was stronger as we reached the steaming hold, I being first. But I felt puzzled, for the steam was dense as ever, and I could only smell the dank, unpleasant, hydrogenous odour of decomposed water, while the smell which had reached the companion-way had been the fresh, sharp, pungent scent of burning wood. The next moment, though, I saw where the danger was, and shouted—

"The galley—the galley!"

We all ran round to the door, for smoke was issuing from the wooden building freely, and a dull light shone out on to the darkness. Then I burst out in astonishment—

"What, Dumlow! You here?"

"Ay, ay, sir. Practysing up. I got it now, and go ahead to-morrow morning. Stove bothered me a bit at first, but I can work her, and there'll be hot water and coffee for braxfast in the morning, and soup and taters for dinner. Cooking's easy enough when you knows how."

There was a roar of laughter at this.

"Ah, you may laugh, all on you, I don't keer. This won't hurt my leg, will it, doctor?"

"No; you can go on with that," replied Mr Frewen; "but keep seated all you can."

"Toe be sure, sir. I've often seen the cook sitting down to peel the taters and stir the soup."

"Well, let that fire out now, and get some rest," said Mr Brymer. "You startled us all."

Then leading the way back to the saloon, he told Miss Denning that we should all gladly accept her brother's offer; and it having been arranged that a whistle should give the signal of danger, the poor fellow was carried up on the poop-deck, and left there with his sister, a final look given at the steaming hold, and then the men went forward, and we to our cabins, I choosing for mine the one occupied by Walters, to whom I talked for a few minutes, and then in an instant I was asleep.



CHAPTER FORTY SIX.

I said in an instant, for I was talking to Walters one moment, and the next I was fighting the fire over again, and seeing now all kinds of horrible glowing-eyed serpents and dragons, which kept on raising their heads and breathing out flames. And as they reared their heads, they glared at me with their glowing eyeballs, and lifted themselves higher, to try and lick with their fiery tongues the woodwork of the ship.

It was all wonderfully plain, and the worry and trouble were terrible. I held the nozzle, of the hose, and knew that unless I drove them back with a strong jet of water they would destroy the ship at once; but the tube was empty, the pump did not clank, and the hissing creatures rose higher and higher, till they were about to scorch me, when I started into wakefulness, and found that I was lying on my back, bathed in perspiration, and all was perfectly still.

I soon changed my position, and dropped off to sleep again—a calm, restful sleep for a time; but the old trouble returned: there I was standing at the edge of that great steaming gap in the deck, with the fiery serpents darting here and there and dancing up and down. Then they began to make darts at the woodwork, and one greater than all the rest reared itself up to try and reach the main-mast, but sank back again. Then it reared itself up and tried once more, this time reaching higher and higher, till it disappeared in the grey smoke; and directly after I saw that it had reached the mast, and was creeping up it, in one long undulating streak of golden and ruddy fire, which would soon reach the mast-head, if I did not drive it down with the jet of water.

I raised the copper branch, and directed it straight at the fiery monster, but the pump still did not clank, and no water flowed. Instead thereof came a jet of steam—not the visible grey vapour which is really the water in tiny vesicles, but a jet of invisible steam which rushed out of the breach with a shrill whistling sound, and again I awoke with a start to fancy that I was yet dreaming, for the sharp whistling still rang in my ears.

Then I knew what it was—the signal of danger given by Mr Denning or his sister, and, hurrying out of the cabin, I crossed the saloon, and ran out and upon deck to where they were.

"A boat?—the mutineers?" I panted.

"No," said Miss Denning, excitedly. "The fire has broken out again!"

At the same moment I found that the alarm had been heard forward, for the men were tumbling up from the forecastle, and Bob Hampton's voice thundered out—

"Ahoy, there! man the pumps. She's going it again."

For, on reaching the gap in the deck where the hissing had recommenced, the steam which we had left steadily rising when we went to lie down, then looking of a blackish grey, now appeared luminous, as if some great light were playing about beyond it.

Knowing where the copper branch had been made ready, I made for it at once; but as I picked it up, it was snatched from my hands by some one, whom I could not distinguish till he spoke, and when he did, his voice sounded husky and strange from excitement.

"Ready there?" shouted Bob Hampton, from forward; and none too soon, for there was a flash of light, which turned the steam to ruddy gold, and a dull crackling roar was rising out of the hold.

"Yes; go on there!" shouted Mr Brymer from the other side of the deck. "Who has the branch?"

"I have," cried Mr Frewen.

Then as my heart beat wildly from excitement, the clanking of the pump began again, and directly after a shrieking and hissing, which, in the darkness of the night, sounded louder than ever. Report after report came too, and with them the steam seemed to be denser than ever. Dark as the night appeared, it was visible enough, and looked so awful and yet grand, lit-up as it was by the fierce burst of fire beneath, that it became hard to believe that it too was not glowing, curling flame, rising up from the hold, and wreathing about the great yards and sails of the main-mast.

I watched it as it rose, fully expecting to see the sails burst into flame; but there it came in heavy folds, dimly-seen here, black in shadow there, and the fiery-looking clouds proved to be only visible vapours, water perfectly harmless, while the real flames caused by the fire having reached something specially combustible, never rose many feet in the hold, and by degrees began to yield to the powerful jet of water Mr Frewen poured down.

"Tell me if I miss any of the worst places, Dale," he shouted, to make his voice heard above the din of the elemental strife.

I answered that he was doing quite right; and the proof of my words was shown by the gradual darkening of the steam from bright gold to pale yellow, then to orange, bright red, and soon after to a dull glow, which served to show where the danger lay, and this part was so deluged, that in less than an hour the glow died out, and we were in utter darkness.

"Let me take it a bit now," said Mr Brymer, joining us; and with the hissing and sputtering to guide him, he now continued to pour on the water, talking loudly the while about our alarm.

"I ought not to have lain down," he said, in tones full of self-reproach. "I might have known that the fire would break out again."

"Why, we couldn't have had a better watch kept, Mr Brymer."

"You are right, my lad," he replied warmly. "I ought to have thought of that too. Go and tell Mr and Miss Denning that the danger is at an end."

I hurried off, and mounted to the poop, where Mr Denning sat in his chair, well wrapped in a plaid; and as I approached, Miss Denning's voice asked quickly—"Who is that?"

"Dale, Miss Denning. I've come to tell you that the fire is mastered again."

I heard her utter a deep sigh, and I believe she began to cry, but it was too dark to see her face.

"How long had it been burning when you whistled?" I asked.

"Not a minute," said Miss Denning. "We were watching the setting of one of the stars, when all at once there was a dull report somewhere in the hold, and in an instant there was a flash, and great volumes of fire and smoke began to roll up."

"But it was only lit-up steam," I said, talking as one experienced in such matters.

"Then there is no more danger?" said Mr Denning.

"No, I think not—at present."

"Why do you say at present?" cried Miss Denning, eagerly; and she caught my arm.

"Don't say anything to frighten her, Dale," said Mr Denning; "she is half-hysterical now."

"Indeed no, John dear; I am quite calm. Tell us, Alison. It is better to know the worst."

"I only meant," I said hastily, "that there is sure to be some fire left smouldering below, where the water will not reach it, and it may break out again two or three times—just a little, that's all. But we shall watch it better now. No, no," I cried, "I don't mean that; because no one could have watched better than you did."

"Starboard watch, ahoy!" cried Mr Brymer, cheerily. "How are you, Miss Denning?" but before she could reply the mate was up with us.

"Thank you for keeping watch so well. Any idea what time it is?—we hadn't been asleep long, I suppose."

Mr Denning uttered a little laugh.

"It must be close upon morning," he said.

"Morning? Impossible! What do you say, Miss Denning?"

"I think it must be very near day," she replied. "It is many hours since you left us."

"And gone like that!" cried the mate in astonishment. "Ahoy there, Mr Frewen, Preddle," he shouted, "what time should you think it is?"

"My watch is not going," replied Mr Frewen; "but I should say it is about midnight."

"Oh no," cried Mr Preddle, in his highly-pitched voice; "about eleven at the outside. Do you think we may venture to lie down again?"

"Almost a pity, isn't it," said the mate, merrily. "Look yonder— there—right astern."

"Yes?" said Mr Frewen. "What is that? The moon about to rise?"

"Say sun, and you will be right," cried Mr Brymer. "Go and lie down if you like, gentlemen; but look yonder too; there is a fleck of orange high up. For my part, I propose a good breakfast."

"No, no, you cannot be right," said Mr Frewen, from the main-deck; "but we'll take our watch now. Mr Denning, will you and your sister go and take yours below?"

"No, not yet," said Mr Denning.

"Then I must speak as the medical man, and give my patient orders. You ought both to have some sleep now."

"Wonderful!" cried Mr Preddle, excitedly. For, with the wondrous rapidity of change from night to day so familiar in the tropics, the morning broke without any of the gradations of dawn and twilight. There was a brilliant glow of red, which, as we gazed at it, became gold; and then, dazzling in its brightness, the edge of the sun appeared above the gleaming water, still and smooth as ever; then higher and higher, sending its rays across the vast level, and turning all to gold. It was between us and the sun now one broad patch of light, but not quite all golden glory, for as I looked right away from the poop-deck, with that indescribable feeling of joy in my breast which comes when the darkness of night and its horrors give place to the life and light of day, I felt a strange contraction about my heart—a curious shrinking sensation of dread.

For, far away on that gleaming path of gold, I could plainly see a couple of black specks. Half-stifled with emotion, I caught at Mr Brymer's arm, and pointed as I looked in his face, and tried to speak, but no words would come.

I must have pointed widely, for he turned quickly, looked in the direction indicated by my finger, and then clapped me on the shoulder.

"Why, Dale, my lad, what's the matter?" he said. "Did you see a whale?"

At that moment Barney shouted from where he stood forward, unseen for the mist of dimly illuminated steam which lay between us, though his voice was plainly heard, and sent a thrill through all who heard—

"Boat-ho! Two on 'em astarn."

"Ay, ay!" roared Bob Hampton in a voice of thunder, "lying doo east. It's Frenchy and his gang come back."

For a few seconds there was a dead silence, and no one stirred. Then, as if electrified, I ran half-way down the ladder, and leaped the rest of the way, dashed through the saloon to Mr Brymer's cabin, seized his glass, and ran back with it and up on to the poop-deck.

He gave me a quick look which seemed to say, "Good!"—snatched the glass, brought it to bear upon the two black specks, and then stood motionless, while all present waited breathless for the lowering of the glass again, and the mate's first words.

For we hoped against hope. The boats might be two sent from some invisible ship to our aid.

All such thoughts were swept away as the mate lowered his glass and nearly threw it to me.

"He's right," he said calmly. "They are our boats and men. They must have been somewhere near, and seen the light rising up from the ship, and come back to see what it means."

"Then all is lost!" said Mr Denning, wildly, as he seized his sister's hand.

"Oh, no," replied Mr Brymer, coolly, "by no means. Miss Denning, kindly see what you can do in the way of breakfast for us. Those men cannot be here under an hour, and we shall all be faint. Cheer up. They're not on board yet."

The next minute he was on the main-deck, giving his orders.

"They can't board us," he said, "but they can cut that boat adrift, and carry her off with all those provisions on board. Now, Mr Frewen, you will help us. Mr Preddle, be ready to come and haul when you are asked, but in the meantime I leave the arms to you. See that they are all loaded and laid ready on the saloon-table, and with the ammunition to hand."

"Yes, I'll do that," he said eagerly; and he was moving off.

"Stop," cried Mr Brymer. "There is a small keg of powder in the cable-tier, get that in the saloon too; and in the locker in my cabin you'll find some big cartridges and shot. Everything is there. Do you think you can load and prime the cannon?"

He pointed as he spoke to the small brass gun, used for signalling when going into port. "I never loaded a big one," said Mr Preddle, "but I used to have a brass one when I was a boy, and I've loaded and fired that."

"It is precisely the same, sir. Have it ready, and a poker in the galley red-hot. Bah! we have no fire."

"Wrong, sir. Stove's going, and the kettle nearly on the bile," growled Dumlow, who had limped up.

"Bravo!" cried the mate. "They have not taken us yet. Off with you, Mr Preddle. Now, Hampton, we must either get that boat on board, or save all we can, and then she must be stove in."

"Which would be a pity, sir," said Bob Hampton. "She's heavy, and we're few, but I think if you'll help get out all you can from her, water-breakers and sech, I can slew round the yard, and rig up tackle as 'll do the job."

"Right! Up with you! Now, Blane, and you, Dale, have the boat round here to the gangway, and down into her. Mr Frewen, you and I will lower tackle, and have all up we can to lighten her."

The men cheered, and, as excited as they were, I added my shout, and the next minute we were all at work as ordered by the mate. The boat was soon brought round, made fast, and by the time Barney and I were in, the port-gangway was opened, and tackle lowered, to which we made fast one of the breakers of water, and saw it hauled up. The other followed, and then cases, biscuit-bags, everything heavy was roped together and hauled up on them, till nothing remained but small things that it would have taken too long to collect.

"Now then," shouted Mr Brymer, "look out!" and there was a creaking and clanging sound as the iron wheel of the tackle used for loading and unloading the cargo spun round, and the falls for running up boats to the davits descended, and were hooked on bow and stern.

"Now then, up with you!" cried the mate; and we seized the rope lowered, and climbed on board.

"Are they close here, sir?" I panted.

"Don't talk; no. Ready there at the capstan?"

"Ay, ay," came back.

"Haul away then."

The rattle and clang of the tackle began, as the men turned with all their might, the catches on either side making sure of every foot they won, and by degrees the heavy boat rose slowly out of the water, and higher and higher, till she was above the bulwarks, when the men cheered, ceased turning, made all fast, and while two of us got hold of the painter and swung the boat's head round, the crane-like spar, at whose end the iron wheel, hung, was slewed round till the boat was well on board.

Then Hampton and Barney ran back to the capstan and lowered away, till the boat lay on its side on the deck, when, with a rousing cheer, the gangway was closed, and I felt that I could breathe; for, as I looked over the bulwarks for our enemies, there they were, steadily rowing toward us, but still quite a mile away.

I breathed more freely then, for, in spite of their superior strength, I felt that our position was not unfavourable. The sides of the ship were high and smooth, and, without help from within, the only likely places for our enemies to be able to gain the deck were from under the bowsprit, where I had climbed up, or through the stern-windows. But we had a keen and thoughtful man in command. Mr Brymer soon rendered the stern-windows safe by having the dead-lights over them, while I was sent round to screw up the glazed-iron frame of every circular window. Then our principal vulnerable point was the stay beneath the bowsprit, where he stationed Dumlow, armed with a capstan-bar, which the big sailor prepared to use as a club; the other dangerous points being the chains, where it was possible for a man to climb up by means of a boot-hook.

These places Mr Brymer guarded as well as possible by stationing one or other of his forces ready for their defence, with the understanding that we were to act on our discretion, and run to help in the defence of the part most menaced.

All these arrangements were quickly made, and lastly, the saloon was reserved for our final stand, the cannon being wheeled just inside, pointed so as to sweep the entrance, though I failed to see how it was to be fired if we were driven there, when the red-hot poker was in the stove of the galley.

By this time they were all armed. Miss Denning was back in our citadel, the saloon, where we had all been refreshed with the provisions she had prepared for us. Mr Brymer had begged Mr Denning, too, to go into his cabin, out of the way of danger; but he had flushed up and insisted upon having a chair placed by the cannon, and being furnished with one of the guns and some cartridges.

"I am a good shot," he said, "weak as I am, and I command a good deal of the bulwarks on either side of the ship."

So he was placed as he wished, and sat with his gun across his knees, just at the breach of the cannon.

"And I can fire that if it becomes necessary," he confided to me, as I said good-bye to him before I went to my place.

"How?" I asked,—"with a match?"

"No," he whispered; "if it comes to the worst, and Jarette and his scoundrels are making for here, I shall put the muzzle of my gun to the touch-hole and fire it."

"Won't it blow the priming away?" I said.

"No; it will fire the piece instantly."

"I hope he will not have to try," I thought to myself as I ran to Walters' cabin, and told him of the fight to come.

"And I can't help," he moaned. "I wish I could."

"What, to take the ship?" I said spitefully.

"You know better than that," he said.

I don't know how it was, but one minute I was saying that to him spitefully, the next I had hold of his hand and shook it.

"I didn't mean it," I said quite hurriedly. "Good-bye, old chap; we're going to whop them after all."

I ran out of the cabin with the thought in my mind that I might perhaps be killed.

"And one ought to forgive everybody," I said to myself, just as Mr Brymer cried—

"Oh, here you are, Dale. Take this gun, and mind, you are the reserve. Be ready to go and help any one who is most pressed. There must be no nonsense now. Shoot down without mercy the first scoundrel who reaches the deck. If it is Jarette, aim at his head or breast; if it is one of the others, let him have it in the legs."

He hurried to the side then, leaving me with a double-barrelled gun and a handful of cartridges, which, after seeing that the piece was loaded, I thrust into the breast-pocket of my jacket.

"This is a rum way of forgiving one's enemies," I said to myself; "but I suppose I must."

And then I began patrolling the deck as we waited on our defence, with the boats coming on and the insidious enemy within, for the fire was certainly making a little way in the hold.

The boats were only a couple of hundred yards away now. I could see Jarette seated in the stem of one of them, as they came on abreast, making straight for the port-gangway abaft the main-mast; and my breath came thick and fast, for the fight was about to begin, and I felt that we could not expect much mercy at the hands of the leader of the men.



CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN.

"It's all over," I thought to myself; "they'll take the ship and send us adrift now;" but all the same I knew that the defence would be desperate as soon as Mr Brymer gave the word.

I could see the faces of Jarette and his men now clearly enough in the one boat, while in the other I picked out five men, among whom was the cook, who would have been, I should have thought, the very last to join in so desperate a game, one which certainly meant penal servitude for all, and possibly a worse punishment for the leaders, as death might very probably ensue in the desperate attack upon the ship. But I had no more time for such thoughts. Jarette just then rose up in the stern of the boat he was in, and hailed us.

"Ahoy, there! Open that gangway," he shouted, "and let down the roped steps."

Mr Brymer stepped to the bulwarks just opposite the boat.

"Throw up your oars there," he cried, and the men obeyed, so used were they to his orders.

"Row, you idiots, row!" roared Jarette, and the oars splashed again.

"Stop there, you in the boats," cried Mr Brymer, "or I give the order to fire."

"Bah! don't be a fool, Brymer," he shouted. "Pull away, my lads; they won't fire. Hi! there, the rest of you, don't take any notice of the mate. We saw you were on fire and in danger. We saw the fire and smoke in the night, and came to save you."

"In the same way as you deserted the ship when you thought she would sink," said Mr Brymer, tauntingly.

"Pull, my lads, and get aboard," cried Jarette, so that the men in the other boat could hear; "he doesn't know what he's talking about. We'll put the fire out, and then talk to him."

Bang! went Mr Brymer's revolver, fired over the heads of the men in Jarette's boat, and the Frenchman fell backward into the stern-sheets.

I thought he was killed, and the men ceased rowing.

But Jarette was up again directly.

"Pull, you beasts!" he cried. "You jerked me off my feet. You, there," he roared to the men in the second boat, "round to the starboard side and board there. No—"

He leaned over the side and said something behind his hand to the men in the other boat, which we could not hear, but we did hear him say—"We must have her. It's too far to row."

Those last words enlightened us, telling as they did that the boats had made very little progress, but had drifted with the current just as the ship had, and they could never have been very far away. They must too have supposed the vessel had sunk till they saw the fire renewed, when feeling that they had been premature in forsaking her, they came back, and were no doubt a good deal taken aback by finding us there ready to defy them.

"Now!" shouted Jarette. "Ready? Off!"

The boats came on in spite of two or three shots fired from the deck, and then, with Jarette rapidly returning our fire, they were soon close up and sheltered to a great extent.

Jarette's boat came right alongside at once in the most plucky manner, urged on as the men were by their leader, who seemed utterly devoid of fear. But the other boat rowed right round by the stern, and its occupants were damped on finding that unless they could mount by the fore or mizzen-chains, there was apparently no means of reaching the deck. They ceased rowing in each of these places, but there were a couple of defenders ready at each halt, and they made no further attempt, but lay on their oars in a half-hearted way, as if waiting for an opportunity to occur.

But meanwhile the fight had begun by the main-chains on the port side, where, with Jarette to cover them with his revolver, the men made a desperate effort to gain the deck, but only to be beaten back each time they showed their heads above the bulwarks, and after five minutes they sat down sullenly and refused to stir.

"You cowards!" snarled Jarette, savagely. "Do you want to stop afloat in open boats and starve? Now then, once more. Up with you!"

The men rose at his words, but Mr Brymer appeared now above them.

"Sheer off," he roared, "or we'll sink the boat."

Two reports followed this speech, and, to my horror, I saw Mr Brymer fall back heavily on the deck to lie motionless.

"That's winning, boys," shouted Jarette, triumphantly. "Now then, all of you follow."

He made a spring at the boat-hook they had fastened to the chains, and scrambled up, to step on one side crouching down, revolver in hand, sheltering himself, but watchfully ready to fire at either of us who might show, and waiting while his men climbed to him.

While they were climbing out of the boat to his side, Mr Preddle stepped forward gun in hand, to pass it over the bulwark, and hold the men in check; but the barrels were seized, pressed on one side, and a man reached up and struck the naturalist over the head, so that he too went down heavily.

"Here, hi! Mr Dale, you're in command now," shouted Bob Hampton. "Barney, doctor, Neb, come and help here."

We all made a rush to the side to help Bob, and our presence was needed, for man after man had now reached the chains, where they waited for Jarette's orders to make a rush.

"Here, let me come," cried Dumlow, limping up with his capstan-bar. "Give me room, and I'll clear the lot down."

He swung up his bar to reach over and deliver a sweeping blow, but he was over Jarette, who started up below the bar, and fired right in the big sailor's face, when he too went down, but not hit. The shock and the whizz of a bullet close to his ear had sufficed to stagger him, so that he tripped over Mr Preddle's prostrate body, and gave his head a sharp blow on the back.

To all appearances, three of our side were now hors de combat, and I felt that all was over; and to confirm my thought, there was a shout forward in the bows.

I uttered a despairing groan, for it was all plain enough. The second boat had made for the stay beneath the bows, just as Dumlow had been called away with his capstan-bar, and as I looked forward, there, to my horror, dimly-seen through and beneath the ascending steam, were four men who had climbed on board.

"We're licked, Mr Dale, sir; but hit, shoot, do anything as they come over the side. Do, dear lad, shoot Frenchy, whatever you do. Now then, let 'em have it, for Old England's sake and sweet home! Here they come!"

Jarette and four men rose up now suddenly in the chains, climbed on to the bulwark, and were about to leap down, and with a desperate feeling of horror, I raised my gun to fire. But there was a rush and a cheer as the men from forward rushed down to us, and I was roughly jostled, my aim diverted; but the trigger was being pulled, and the piece went off loudly.

The next moment blows were being given and taken. Mr Frewen was fighting furiously, and well seconded by Bob and Barney. Jarette and his men were checked, two going down, and to my astonishment they fell from blows given by the four men who had dashed forward.

It was all one horrid confusion, for now one of these men turned on me, and wrested the gun from my grasp, though I tugged at it hard. Then it was pointed and fired at Jarette—not at me—missing him though, but making him lose his foot-hold, and fall with a heavy splash into the sea.

"Hurray!" yelled Bob.

"Give it to 'em," cried Barney; and I saw Mr Frewen strike one with a revolver in his hand, but using his fist as if he were boxing, and another man went backwards into the boat, while a blow or two from Neb Dumlow's capstan-bar, which Barney had picked up, sufficed to clear the chains.

I looked over the side for a moment, and saw a man holding out an oar to Jarette, who was swimming; but there was a rush of feet again, and the men who had come over the bows were running back just in time to drive back three more, tumbling them over into the sea, to regain their boat the best way they could.

Then these four, headed by the man who had led them, began to cheer, and came running back toward us, the man who had snatched my gun, and whom I saw now to be the cook, shouting louder than all the rest put together.

"What, are you on our side, then, old Plum Duff?" cried Dumlow, who was now sitting up.

"Seems like it, Neb," cried the cook. "Here, Mr Dale, sir, load quickly and fire, or they'll come on again."

He handed me the gun, and I rapidly opened the breech and slipped in the cartridges, just as firing began from aft, and I saw that Mr Frewen was standing against the companion-way aiming at the boat containing Jarette, which had sheered off after picking up their leader and another man, while now the second boat hove in sight from under the bows, in time for Mr Frewen to send a stinging charge of shot at her crew in turn.

He kept up his practice, while in both boats the men pulled with all their might to get out of range.

But our troubles did not seem over, for hardly had we grasped the fact that the cook and three of the men had snatched at the opportunity to escape from Jarette's rule, and join us in the defence of the ship, than I saw that which made me shout—

"Fire!—fire!" for the great cloud of steam always rising was swept suddenly towards the starboard side, and the vessel slowly careened over in the same direction.

"Burnt through, and sinking," I groaned to myself, and then I felt stunned, for Bob yelled out—

"Run to the wheel, Barney, lad. Keep her before the wind."

The sailor bounded to the ladder, and up on the poop-deck, to spin round the spokes of the wheel; and the next minute, almost before I could grasp what had happened, the sails, which had hung for days motionless, had filled, and we were running free, leaving the two boats and their occupants far behind.

"Thank God!" cried a voice behind me, and I turned to see that it was Mr Frewen, who now ran to the entrance of the saloon, where I saw him grasping Miss Denning's and her brother's hands, and I knew he was saying "Saved!"

Directly after he was back with us, who were carefully lifting Mr Brymer, while Mr Preddle lay so motionless that I was afraid he was dead.

Mr Frewen dropped on one knee, and began to examine the mate, while I watched him with intense eagerness, waiting to hear his words.

"It must have been a bad cartridge, or the pistol improperly loaded. It did not pierce the cloth of his cap, and even the skin of the scalp is not broken."

"Then it will not be fatal?" I said.

"Fatal?—no! There may be a little concussion of the brain. You had better carry him into his cabin, my lads, out of the sun."

The cook and one of the men who had returned to their allegiance lifted the mate carefully, and bore him toward the saloon, while Mr Frewen now directed his attention to the naturalist.

"I'm not in fit trim for acting as surgeon, Dale," he said. "I'm bubbling over with excitement; my nerves are all on the strain with the struggle I have gone through. But we've won, my lad, thanks to those fellows who came over on our side. Now, Preddle, my good friend, how is it with you? Hah! Only been stunned. A nasty crack on the head though."

He parted the hair to show me how the head had puffed up into a great lump; but I had hardly bent forward to examine it, as the poor fellow lay sheltered from the morning sun by the shadow cast by one of the sails, when he opened his eyes, looked vacantly about him, and then fixed them on me, and recognising me, a look of intelligence brightened in his gaze, and he said quietly—

"My fish all right, Dale?"

"I—I haven't been to look at them this morning," I stammered, hardly able to keep back a laugh.

"I forgot. I went myself," he said. "Of course. But I couldn't find the bellows. You haven't taken them, have you?"

"No," I said gently, thinking that he was wandering in his mind.

"How tiresome! That water wants aerating badly."

"Bellers, sir?" growled Dumlow, who was looking on; "I took 'em to make the kittle bile, and didn't have no time to put 'em back 'cause of the boats coming."

"Ah, the boats," cried Mr Preddle, excitedly. "Jarette knocked me down."

"And he got knocked down hisself, sir. Reg'lar one for his nob," said Dumlow.

"Then we won, Dale?"

"Oh yes, we've won," I cried, "and the boats are a couple of miles away."

"Let me examine your head again," said Mr Frewen.

"What, for that!" cried the naturalist. "Oh, it's nothing—makes me feel a little giddy and headachy, that's all. But I think I'll go and sit out of the sun for a bit. Why, we're sailing again."

"Yes," I cried; "there's a beautiful breeze on, and we've left the beaten enemy behind, and—"

Flip-flip-flap-flap-flop!

The wind had ceased as suddenly as it had come on.

"Well, sir," said Bob Hampton, a short time later, "I never 'spected to see you get to be skipper dooring this voyage."

"Oh, don't talk nonsense, Bob," I cried. "Look—they're coming on again as fast as they can row."

The old sailor shaded his eyes and looked aft at the two boats, which the men were tugging along with all their might, taking advantage of our being becalmed to try and overtake us and renew their attempt.

"Yes, there they are, bless 'em!" cried Bob. "Well, sir, as skipper o' this here ship, with all the 'sponsibility depending on you, o' course you know what to do."

"No, I don't, Bob," I cried. "How can a boy like I am know how to manage a full-rigged ship?"

"Tchah! You've been to sea times enough, and a ship's on'y a yacht growed up. Besides, there's no navigating wanted now as there's no wind."

"But the boats!" I cried. "Look at the boats."

"Oh, I see 'em, my lad; well, that means fighting, and I never knowed a boy yet as didn't know how to fight."

"We must try to beat them off, Bob," I said, ignoring his remark.

"Nay, not try—do it, sir; and you, being skipper, of course 'll give 'em a startler to show 'em what's waiting for 'em, if they try to board again."

"What do you mean, Bob?" I cried.

"Well, come, I like that, sir," he said, with a laugh; "there have you got the little signal-gun loaded and primed, and the poker all red-hot and waiting, and i'stead o' having it run to the gangway, set open ready to give 'em their startler, you says you don't know what to do?"

"Would you do that, Bob?" I said anxiously.

"No; but you would, sir, being skipper, and wanting to save the ship, what's left o' the cargo, and all aboard."

"But it might sink them."

"And jolly well serve 'em right—a set of piratical sharks. Ahoy, Barney!—you aren't to stop at that there wheel now; the skipper wants you to lend a hand with the gun."

Barney ran up to us, and the gun was dragged to the open gangway, ready for the mutineers, as they still rowed on.

"Neb, old lad," cried Bob, "give a hye to the red-hot poker, and when I cries 'Sarvice!' out you runs with it, and hands it to me."

"Ay, ay," growled Dumlow, in his deepest bass.

"It's all right, Mr Dale, sir," whispered Bob. "You can't hit 'em with that thing if you try ever so; but it'll splash up the water, and scare the lot on 'em so that old Frenchy 'll have no end of a job to get 'em to come on."

I felt better at that, and waited for the attack. Mr Frewen was back with us, and Mr Preddle too. Mr Denning was also in his old place with his gun; and as the men, including the four who had joined us, were armed with the weapons they had brought from the boat, they made a respectable show.

"But do you think we can trust those men?" I whispered to Bob.

"Trust 'em, my lad?" he replied, with a chuckle. "You jest may. They knows it would be all over with 'em if once Frenchy got 'em under his thumb again. Don't you be scared about them; they'll fight like gamecocks."

"If we could only get the wind again," said Mr Frewen, who looked anxious.

"Is there any chance of it, Bob?" I asked.

"Can't say, sir. Maybe we shall get a breeze; maybe we shan't. But never mind; we'll raise a storm for them in the boats, in precious few minutes too. She's charged all right, arn't she, sir?"

"Oh yes," said Mr Preddle. "I rammed the cartridge well home, and primed the touch-hole with powder."

"Then I should not wait long," said Mr Frewen, anxiously. "It will perhaps make the scoundrels keep off."

"'Zactly, sir. Mr Dale here's skipper now, and he'll give the order directly."

"No, no," I said; "Mr Frewen, you take the lead."

"I am only the doctor," he replied, with a smile, which made me feel that he was laughing at me. But the boats were coming on so fast that something had to be done, and in my excitement I cried—

"Now, Bob. Time!"

"Ay, ay, sir," he shouted, going down on one knee to point the little gun. "Sarvice!"

There was a growl from forward, and Neb Dumlow came limping from the galley, along the narrow piece of deck, by where the steam still rose, and flourishing a red-hot poker, hurried to our side.

"Cap'en o' the gun says—Stand well from behind; keep alongside, 'cause she kicks. One moment. I can't get no better aim. Now, sir, ready!"

"Fire!" I cried; and I felt in agony, but had faith in Bob Hampton's words.

Down went the hot poker. There was a flash, a fizz, and a puff of smoke from the touch-hole, and that was all. No, not all, for a puff of wind followed that of smoke, and the ship began to glide onward again, while the men gave a cheer, and Barney ran to the wheel.

"Saved once more," cried Mr Frewen.

"Yes, sir, and them too. But beg pardon, sir," growled Bob Hampton; "I mean you, sir,—Mr Preddle, sir,—are you sure as you loaded the gun?"

"Yes, quite. With one of these cartridges,"—and he went to a box, out of which he took one with the ball fitted in its place by means of a couple of tin bands.

"That's right, sir; but did you ram it home?"

"Yes, hard."

Bob Hampton thrust in the rammer and felt the cartridge.

"Yes, sir; seems right. Perhaps the powder's old and damp."

"No; I think it was perfectly dry."

"Humph!" growled Bob; and then an idea seemed to strike him.

"Beg pardon, sir," he cried; "would you mind showing me how you shoved the cartridge in?"

"Like this," cried Mr Preddle, eagerly, stooping down to apply the cartridge to the mouth of the little brass gun.

"Sure you did it like that, sir?"

"Yes; certain."

"Then no wonder it didn't go off. Why, that's the way to sarve one o' them breeches-loaders. You don't put a cartridge ball first into the muzzle of a gun."

"Why, no!" cried Mr Preddle, colouring like a girl. "How stupid!"

"And we shall have a job to unload her," growled Bob.

But his attention was directly after taken up by the management of the ship, for the wind held on, and by night we had left the boats down below the horizon line, invisible to us even from the mast-head.

That proved an anxious time, for the wind sank soon after sunset, and a careful watch had to be kept, both for the boats, and against our enemy the fire, which kept on showing that there was still some danger in the hold.

The next morning dawned with the boats in sight again, and their crews were evidently straining every nerve to overtake us, for it was once more a dead calm.

We were more hopeful though, for a couple more applications of the hose had pretty well extinguished the fire; the cannon had been unloaded and properly charged; and, best of all, Mr Frewen's patients were all better, and Mr Brymer sufficiently well to sit up in a chair, and be brought on deck to take his place as captain, to my intense relief.

The cook had quietly gone to his galley, and then acted as steward as well, so that while the boats were still miles away, we had the best breakfast we had been provided with for many days. And, after this, quite ready for our enemies, and well furnished with weapons, we waited their coming.

I obtained a glass from the captain's cabin, my principal officer telling me to keep it as long as I liked, on condition that I kept reporting to him the state of affairs on deck.

"Everyone is very kind," he said sadly; "but I spend a great many anxious hours here, longing to hear how things are going on, and if it were not for Miss Denning, my position would be ten times worse."

I hurried out with the glass, focussed it on the boats, and watched the men for long enough. The forces had been equalised by four men being sent out of Jarette's boat to take the places of the men who had returned to their allegiance, and, as I watched them, I could see that as they slaved away at the oars, their leader kept jumping up with a pistol in his hand, to throw himself about wildly, stamping, gesticulating, and pointing to the ship, as if he were urging the crews on.