ee the water so calm."

The second officer shifted uneasily about on his feet. He knew well that
there was every indication of a storm. The barometer had been falling
steadily for hours. The latest reading marked ten-twenty-nine, which was
the lowest he had ever seen it. The captain, too, was uneasy. In fact,
they were only waiting for the dance to break up to hurry and get
everything shipshape for the blow which they knew was inevitable.
Meantime, he argued to himself, there was no use in alarming the ladies
or spoiling their fun. He was about to put off further questioning by
some reassuring remark, when just then a quartermaster ran up, and,
touching his cap, said:

"Cap'n wishes to see you on the bridge, sir."

"Very well, I'll come at once."

Turning to the ladies, Mr. Brown excused himself, and, with a salute,
went away, followed by the sailor.

The gaiety was now at its height. It was impossible to move about the
deck, so crowded was it with dancers and promenaders. Suddenly the
concealed orchestra struck up the dulcet strains of Strauss' _Blue
Danube_, and once more the couples began gliding and turning on the
spotless deck, the women's gowns making a beautiful and ever-changing
kaleidoscope of color and motion. Everybody was in high spirits. The
women were flirting and drinking champagne. The men were laughing and
having what the Hon. Percy Fitzhugh declared a ripper of a good time. It
was a festival of fortune's favorites, a merrymaking of those lucky few
who have nothing to do but enjoy life's pleasures.

* * * * *

Up on top of the deckhouse, hidden among the ventilators and
smokestacks, two men gloomily watched the gay scene below. They were
grimy with coal-dust and they wore greasy clothes, with tattered coats
buttoned close to their necks. Hot as was the night, it felt cool to
them, accustomed as they were to the withering heat of the furnaces
below. One was Armitage; the other was Bill. The two stokers had crawled
out of the inferno to steal a breath of fresh air. The scene before them
seemed like a vision of fairyland.

"Gee whiz!" exclaimed Bill, when he had somewhat recovered from his
astonishment. "It's like at the theayter. Get on to 'em lights and the
flags, will ye, and the bloomin' musicians! Look at 'em women folk
dancin' all decked out in their sparklers, and 'em blokes wid their
open-faced clothes! Officers, too, has on their Sunday duds. And, by
gosh!