the head of the narrow
ladder, and then come sliding down.

"Doing our best, some of 'em will get up above," he said quietly. "But
we've enough left for a watch." He stepped to Andie's side, all the
while with his eyes roaming over the machinery. "She answered her bells
promptly, Andie?"

"To the stroke, sir."

"Good! Stay by her. Pass the word to me if aught goes wrong."

He was through the bulkhead door and into the passageway before he had
completed the order.

Lavis saw Andie pout his lower lip, and with a "T-t-t--" shift his gaze
to the pit. "The blind bats!" burst from him, and he spat into the pit.
"See there, sir!" he called out to Lavis.

Lavis nodded. He had already noticed it. There was a foot or so of water
in the pit.

"How the devil came it there?" Andie stooped and scooped a handful of
it, tasted it, and held it up for Lavis to view. "Salt! _And_ cold.
T-t-t--" Andie let his breath whistle softly through his parted teeth.

The water was rising. By and by it was over the top of the pit and
crawling across the shiny deck. Andie looked about for relief.

"I'll tell him," volunteered Lavis.

"Thank you, sir. An' you might say, sir, there must be somethin' wrong
wi' the bulkhead doors. They aren't closed yet."

Lavis met Linnell returning in the passageway. "Buttons in place of eyes
in their heads aloft!" he was muttering. "An' for all o' forty mechanics
brought specially to set things right, they can't close the doors
below."

Together they waded in to where Andie was now to his knees in water.
"Let be your levers, Andie, an' take a spell o' rest for yourself,"
commanded Linnell.

Andie slowly relaxed his fingers, pulled a bunch of waste from his hip
pocket, and wiped his hands.

"She's hard hit," said Linnell to Lavis, "though there's few know it
yet. And won't in a hurry."

"Then I'd better be going above?"

"That's right, do. Will you be back this way again?"

Lavis let his hand rest lightly on Andie's head. "I'm not sure." He
extended his hand to Linnell. "If I don't see you again, good-by."

"Good-by, Mr. Lavis." The engineer stepped closer and whispered: "If any
honest chance offers to leave the ship, leave her."

* * * * *

Lavis found his way through the crew's quarters to the lowest sleeping
deck of steerage. Here a few old people and some children, too
discouraged, too indifferent, or too helpless, were clinging to their
bunks. On the next d