ment to be
carried down in her, mingled in wild confusion on the midnight air.
Fortunately the passengers were mostly soldiers, accustomed to scenes of
horror, who immediately turned their attention to the extinguishing of
the flames. The Flatfoot, No. 3, approached within a short distance of
the wreck, and a line was passed from her to the bow of the Chalmetta.
Her passengers and crew were humanely assisting in rescuing those who
had jumped or been thrown overboard in the disaster.

By the aid of a fire-engine on board of the Flatfoot, which had
approached near enough to render it available, the flames were
extinguished. It was ascertained that the Chalmetta had received no
serious damage in her hull; and as all the survivors had been picked up,
the Flatfoot took her in tow, and proceeded up the river.

Emily had been stunned by the explosion, and ere she could recover,
Vernon, with a strong arm, bore her to the main deck. The boat was
lowered into the water, and, before the passengers, or the petrified
watch in the hold, could regain their self-possession, it was impelled
by the strong arm of Vernon, and the ruffian who had been hired for the
purpose, far astern of the wreck.

The main deck was enveloped in clouds of steam, so that, when Vernon had
handed Emily down, the movement could not be seen by Hatchie and his
friends in the hold. In another instant the wreck of the cabins came
tumbling down.

Hatchie, understanding at once the nature of the calamity, made his way,
as well as he was able, through the shattered ruins to the stern, where
he discovered that the boat was gone. The flames from the forward part
of the boat now enabled him to discover the abductors of Emily rowing
down the river. Leaping into the water, he seized a door, which was
floating near him, and thus enabled to sustain himself with tolerable
ease, he swam after them.

Emily, on recovering from the shock, found herself reclining on the
shoulder of a man in an open boat. The first impulse of her pious heart
was to return thanks to the Almighty preserver that she had been rescued
from a terrible death. Her thoughts then turned to her deliverer, for
such she supposed was the person in the boat with her. Who was he? Was
it Henry Carroll? She hoped it was. She raised her head from the
position in which Maxwell had placed it, and endeavored to distinguish
his features; but the darkness defeated her wish.

"Fear nothing, lady; you are safe," sai