was or could be made to rescue any chance
struggler not carried down in the vortex of the parted and sunken ship--
all was blank horror.

Besides the consternation and dismay natural to the appalling accident,
there was the fear of the underwriters, and of the owners, and of
damages, before the eyes of the captain. I was sent for aft.

"I had not the charge of the deck," said Captain Reud, looking fiercely
at the first-lieutenant. "_I_ am not responsible for this lubberly
calamity."

"I had not the charge of the watch or the deck either," said Mr Farmer,
in his turn, looking at small Mr Pond, who was looking aghast; "surely,
I cannot be held responsible."

"But you gave orders, sir--I heard you myself give the word to raise the
fore-tack--that looks very like taking charge of the deck--no, no, _I_
am not responsible."

"Not so fast, not so fast, Mr Pond. I only assisted you for the good
of the service, and to save the foresail."

Mr Pond looked very blank indeed until he thought of the master, and
then he recovered a great portion of his usual vivacity. Small men are
always vivacious.

"No, no, I am not responsible--I was only working the ship under the
directions of the master. Read the night orders, Mr Farmer."

"The night orders be damned!" said the gruff old master.

"I will not have my night order damned," said Reud. "You and the
officer of the watch must share the responsibility between you."

"No offence at all, sir, to you or the night orders either. I am
heartily sorry I damned them--heartily; but, in the matter of wearing
this here ship precisely at that there time, I only acted under the
pilot, who has charge until we are securely anchored. Sure_lye_, I
can't be 'sponsible."

"Well," said the pilot, "here's a knot of tangled rope-yarn--but that
yarn won't do for old Weatherbrace, for, d'ye see, I'm a Sea William
(civilian), and not in no ways under martial law--and I'm only aboard
this here craft as respects shoals and that like--I'm clearly not
'sponsible!--nothing to do in the 'varsal world with working
her--'sponsible pooh!--why did ye not keep a better look-out for'ard?"

"Why, Mr Rattlin, why?" said the captain, the first-lieutenant, the
lieutenant of the watch, and the master.

"I kept as good a one as I could--the lanterns were over the bows."

"You may depend upon it," said the captain, "that the matter will not be
permitted to rest as it is. The owners and underwriters will