ly alive to the threatening situation, or to be alert enough
to do what was ordered at the very instant of command; and Burke,
excited to the highest pitch, began to swear after a fashion entirely
unknown to the two ladies and the members of the Synod. His cursing and
swearing was of such a cyclonic and all-pervading character that some of
those on board shuddered almost as much on account of his language as
for fear of the terrible crash which was impending.

"This is dreadful!" said one of the clergymen, advancing as if he would
mount to the pilot house.

"Stop!" said Mr. Arbuckle, excitedly placing his hand upon the shoulder
of the other. "Don't interfere at such a moment. The ship must be
managed."

In a very short time, although it seemed like long, weary minutes to the
people on the yacht, her engines moved, her screw revolved, and she
slowly moved around to leeward. If she could have done this half a
minute sooner, she would have steamed out of the course of the _Dunkery
Beacon_ so that that vessel must have passed her, but she did not do it
soon enough. The large steamer came on at what seemed amazing speed, and
would have struck the yacht a little abaft the bow had not Burke, seeing
that a collision could not be avoided, quickly reversed his helm. Almost
in the next second the two vessels came together, but it was the stem of
the yacht which struck the larger steamer abaft the bow.

The shock to the _Summer Shelter_ was terrific, and having but little
headway at the moment of collision she was driven backward by the
tremendous momentum of the larger vessel as if she had been a ball
struck by a bat. Every person on board was thrown down and hurled
forward. Mrs. Cliff extended herself flat upon the deck, her arms
outspread, and every clergyman was stretched out at full length or
curled up against some obstacle. The engineer had been thrown among his
levers and cranks, bruising himself badly about the head and shoulders,
while his assistant and Mr. Hodgson, who were at work below, were jammed
among the ashes of the furnace as if they were trying to stop the
draught with their bodies.

Mr. Burdette was on the forward deck, and if he had not tripped and
fallen, would probably have been shot overboard; and the sailing-master
was thrown against the smokestack with such violence that for a few
moments he was insensible.

Burke, who was at the wheel, saw what was coming and tried to brace
himself so that he shoul