lf anything else but perfect relaxation,"
came from Harry. "You all make me tired!"

Then he staggered into the cabin and disappeared on his way back to the
stateroom.

Diamond and Browning followed, but Frank lingered behind.

Although he had kept the fact concealed, Merry was troubled with a
strange foreboding of coming disaster. In every way he tried to overcome
anything like superstition, but he remembered that, on many other
occasions, he had been warned of coming trouble by just such feelings.

"I'd like to know just what is going on upon this steamer," he muttered,
as he walked forward. "I feel as if something was wrong, and I shall not
be satisfied till I investigate."

CHAPTER VIII.

IN THE STOKE-HOLE.

Frank found the chief engineer taking some air. Merry fell into
conversation with the man, who was smoking and seemed quite willing to
talk.

Having a pleasant and agreeable way, Frank easily led the engineer on,
and it was not long before the man was quite taken with the chatty
passenger.

Frank was careful not to seem inquisitive or prying, for he knew it
would be easy to arouse the engineer's suspicions if there should be
anything wrong on the steamer.

However, Merry was working for a privilege, and he obtained it. When he
expressed a desire to go below and have a look at the engines and
furnaces, the engineer invited him to come along.

They passed through a door, and then began a descent by means of iron
ladders. The clanking roar of the machinery came up to them. Frank could
hear and feel the throbbing heart beats of the great boat.

The engine room was quickly reached, and there the engineer showed him
the massive machinery that moved with the regularity of clockwork and
the grace and ease that came from great power and perfect adjustment.

All this was interesting, but Frank was anxious to go still deeper.

"Go ahead," said the engineer, showing him the way. "Down that ladder
there. You'll be able to see the furnaces and the stokers at work. I
don't believe you'll care to go into the stoke-hole."

Frank descended. Great heat came up to him, accompanied by a glow that
shifted and changed, dying down suddenly at one moment and glaring out
at the next. He could hear the ring of shovels and the clank of iron
doors.

He reached an iron grating, where a fierce heat rolled up and seemed to
scorch him. From that position he could look down into the stoke-hole
and see the black, grim