rried out on deck, for a roar like that
of some terrific explosion close at hand was heard, and Lane and Panton
followed, expecting to see the lurid light of a fire or the flash of
lightning forerunning the next roar.

But all was blacker than ever, and the sailing lights and a ship's
lantern or two swung to and fro as the vessel rose and fell on the
unquiet sea.

"What do you make of it, Smith?" cried the mate to one of the watch.

"Can't make nothing on it at all, sir," said the man, taking off his cap
and scratching his head, while his face, like those of his companions'
had a peculiar scared aspect. "'Tar'nt like a thunderstorm, cause there
ar'n't a drop o' lightning."

"_Bit_, matey," said one of the man's comrades.

"Get out," growled the first man, "how can it be a bit, Billy Wriggs,
when yer can't touch it? I said a drop and I mean it."

"Don't argue," said the mate, sharply. "Do you mean to say, all of you,
that you saw no flash?"

"Not a sign o' none, sir," said the first man. "There?"

Another fearful detonation came with startling violence to their ears,
and as they stood upon the deck the report seemed to jar them all in a
dull, heavy way.

"Warn't no flash o' lightning there, sir."

"No, I saw no flash," said Oliver Lane, uneasily.

"No, there aren't been none, sir. Lightning allus flickers and blinks
like, 'fore you hear any thunder at all."

"These dense black clouds might hide the flashes," said Lane.

"No," said Panton. "I should say that a flash of lightning would pass
through any cloud. I don't think it's thunder."

"What, then, a naval action going on?"

"No war," said the mate, "it must be thunder."

Another detonation, louder than any they had heard before, made the ship
literally quiver, and the men pressed together and turned their startled
faces towards the mate as if for help and protection.

"World's coming to a hend," muttered one of the men.

"If I was skipper here," said another, "I'd just 'bout ship and run for
it."

"Where to?" said Wriggs.

"Can't run your ship out o' the world, matey," grumbled the first sailor
who had spoken, while the mate and the cabin passengers stood gazing in
the direction from which the detonations seemed to come, and tried to
pierce the dense blackness ahead. "Sims to me as there's something
wrong in the works somewhere. I never see anything like this afore."

"Nor you can't see nothing like it behind, matey," said Wriggs. "I