rm having passed off, the
passengers had ventured out on deck once more, and, observing the lights
and the bustle forward, had gradually approached the fore end of the
ship to see what was going on. The skipper, however, at once ordered
them aft again, and, following them into the cuddy, explained just how
matters stood, remaining with them until their excitement had subsided
and he had got them pretty well in hand.

Hitherto no water had been used, Captain Chesney being anxious to get as
much of the cargo as possible--which was mostly of a valuable
character--out on deck uninjured; but the rapidly increasing density and
volume of the smoke showed that the question of damaging the cargo had
now become a secondary one. The safety of the ship herself was
imperilled, and the head pump was accordingly manned, the hose coupled
up, and the second mate pointed it down the hatchway, while the third
mate superintended the operations of a party of men who had been set to
draw water and pass along a chain of buckets by hand. But when water
had been pouring continuously down the hatchway for fully a quarter of
an hour, and the smoke continued to stream up from below in ever-
increasing volume, unmingled with any indication of steam, it became
apparent that the seat of the fire was at some distance, for the water
had evidently not yet reached the flames. Nevertheless, the men worked
steadily on; but whereas at the commencement of their labours they had
sung out their "Yo-ho's" and "Heave-ho's", and other encouraging
exclamations, after the manner of sailors engaged in arduous labour,
they now toiled on in grim silence.

At length a feathery jet of white vapour began to mingle with the thick
column of smoke surging up the hatchway, and was immediately greeted
with a shout of triumph by the mate, followed by a few crisp
ejaculations of encouragement to the men, who apparently accepted the
same in good faith. Nevertheless, I could see by Priest's face that,
although he might have deceived the men, he had not deceived himself,
and that he knew, as well as I did, that the appearance of steam was an
indication, not that the water had reached the fire, but that the fire
had spread sufficiently to reach the water, a very different and much
more serious matter.

Suddenly the smoke thickened into a dense black cloud of a pungent, waxy
odour, and immediately afterwards bright tongues of flame came darting
up between the bales and packa