cessful, for the moment at least, for when,
upon reaching the head of the ladder, he turned to see what was
happening on the deck which he had just left, he saw that the whole
crowd of second-class passengers was in full retreat, with the burly man
elbowing his way through it, that he might secure his full share of
whatever might happen to be going in the dining-room.

Pausing for a moment to watch the gradual disappearance of the people
through the deck-house door, Dick waited until the last of them had
vanished, and then darted along the now deserted promenade deck and up
the ladder to the boat deck, where he found himself in the midst of a
scene of the most strenuous activity; the men still feverishly working
at the task of clearing and swinging out the boats, the officers
supervising and assisting in the work, as though every second of time
were more precious than gold, stewards hurrying up from below with
provisions with which to stock the boats, and the captain on the bridge
overlooking all, the whole deck brilliantly illuminated by every
available electric lamp, while overhead the steam still roared out of
the pipes, and the crackle of the wireless obtruded itself insistently
through all other sounds.

Cavendish knew that Mr Brown, the chief officer, was up here somewhere,
and he presently found him and briefly reported what had happened down
on the main deck.

"Good!" returned Brown. "But go back and guard the head of the ladder
leading from the main to the promenade deck. We're holed in nearly
every compartment, and the leaks are gaining upon us in spite of the
steam pumps. The ship's doomed--that's the long and the short of it;
nothing can save her; and as soon as all the boats are ready there will
be a call for the women and children. Your duty then will be to see
that no men from the second-class are allowed to slip past you until all
women and children have been safely got off. Likely enough some of the
men may try to rush you. Got a revolver?"

"I have a pair down in my cabin, but--"

"Good!" interrupted Brown. "Don't waste time going down to fetch them.
Collar a steward and tell him to get them for you. Now, off you go.
Those people down below may take the alarm again at any moment. One
word more. When all the women and children are up, don't let any men
pass you until you get word from me. Now--scoot!"

Dick "scooted," dispatching a steward for his revolvers on the way, not
that he had