loor, whar she got throwed
down and wer bellowin' like a mad bull in fly time. That made the pain
grip me agin; but I dessay it's all right now for a scrimmage if needs
be."

"And where's Mrs Negus, eh?"

"Thar she is, with that young imp clasped in her arms, sobbin' her heart
out in her cabin; and if you go fur to comfort her, as I did just now,
why, she bites your nose off like a crocodile, she dew! She sez we'll
all go to the bottom; and that the cap'en and everybody else have runned
the ship ashore just to spite her--she knows, she sez, it's ben only
done fur that!"

And the American laughed with a keen relish of the joke, which no sense
of his own peril could subdue.

"She isn't far out in thinking the ship going down," said Mr Meldrum
gravely. "The vessel has a hole knocked in her bows, through which you
might drive an omnibus, and her fore compartment is full of water.
We'll soon have to abandon her, although, I've no doubt, she'll keep
afloat for some hours yet. I advise you, Mr Lathrope, to put on the
warmest suit of clothes you've got, and get together any few little
things that may be of use in a boat, as I'm going to do. Kate, my
dear," he added, addressing his daughter, who had been listening
attentively while he had been talking to the American, at the same time
that she hushed and soothed Florry, who was moaning with pain from her
injured head, "you'd better do likewise; and see also to poor Mrs
Negus, who appears utterly helpless and unable to look after herself.
Where are the steward and stewardess?"

"The stewardess went on deck some time ago, papa, to try and get a cup
of tea for Mrs Negus from the galley, and she has not yet returned,"
answered Kate; "I think the steward is asleep in his pantry."

"I thought him too big a coward to keep so quiet when the ship was in
any danger," said her father. "However, he'll have to rouse up now,
whether he likes it or not."

"Hi, Llewellyn!" shouted he, going up to the door of the pantry, which
was closed, and rapping outside with his fist loudly several times.

But there was no answer; so, turning the handle of the lock
unceremoniously, he looked within and saw to his astonishment the object
of his quest coiled up in a corner of a locker that ran across one side
of the pantry, with a heap of blankets drawn tightly over his head.

Mr Meldrum entered and proceeded to shake the human bundle, calling the
man again by name; when, after a little while